Wave Energy Reduction System

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating moderately quiescent water in which salt marsh wetland grasses can endure and eventually establish without the need for the total elimination of the energy of occurring waves or the restriction of sediment passage

I claim: 
     
         1 . A wave energy reduction system comprising a geotextile mat, said geotextile mat being rolled into a roughly cylindrical shape and secured to the ground in the water near a shoreline. 
     
     
         2 . The wave energy reduction system of  claim 1 , in which the geotextile mat is substantially devoid of a flocculant. 
     
     
         3 . The wave energy reduction system as in either  claim 1  or  claim 2 , in which the geotextile mat has a porosity of at least 95%. 
     
     
         4 . The wave energy reduction system as in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising multiple cable ties, said cable ties being wrapped and tied around the circumference of the rolled geotextile mat to maintain the cylindrical shape thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The wave energy reduction system as in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising multiple anchors, said anchors being attached to the ground along the rolled geotextile mat. 
     
     
         6 . The wave energy reduction system of  claim 5  further comprising multiple pieces of rope equal to the number of anchors in use. 
     
     
         7 . The energy reduction system of  claim 6  further comprising pieces of flexible tubing equal to the number of pieces of rope being used, each piece of said rope being threaded through a corresponding piece of said flexible tubing to form a primary rope-and-tubing combination. 
     
     
         8 . The wave energy reduction system of  claim 7  further comprising pieces of flexible tubing equal to the number of primary rope-and tubing combinations in use, each primary rope-and-tubing combination being threaded through a corresponding piece of said flexible tubing to form a secondary rope-and-tubing combination. 
     
     
         9 . The wave energy reduction system of  claim 8 , in which each secondary rope-and-tubing combination is wrapped around the circumference of the rolled geotextile mat and tied to an adjacent anchor. 
     
     
         10 . The wave energy reduction system of  claim 9 , in which each rope is wrapped around the circumference of the rolled geotextile mat and tied to an adjacent anchor. 
     
     
         11 . A wave energy reduction apparatus comprising:
 (a) a geotextile mat that is rolled into a roughly cylindrical shape;   (b) a multiplicity of cable ties that are wrapped and tied around the circumference of the rolled geotextile mat to maintain the cylindrical shape thereof;   (c) a multiplicity of anchors that are attached to the ground along the rolled geotextile mat; and   (d) a number of pieces of rope equal to the number of anchors used, each piece of rope being wrapped around the roll, inserted through the eyelets of the anchors, and securely tied at the top of the roll.   
     
     
         12 . The wave energy reduction apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the geotextile mat is substantially devoid of a flocculant. 
     
     
         13 . The wave energy reduction apparatus as in either  claim 11  or  claim 12 , in which the geotextile mat has a porosity of at least 95%.