The International Erosion Control Association reports that man-made atolls are being employed in Florida canal communities to counter high water levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and fecal coliform, specifically around Marco Island. In the face of deteriorating water quality in an area known for a water-centered lifestyle, the city of Marco Island is employing blue-green restoration solutions to "[dredge] nutrient-rich sediments and sands from the bottom of the canals and [establish] mangrove islands with native vegetation."

 

The intended benefits are to create habitats for mangroves and oyster reefs as well as other fish and wildlife that will improve the water quality by acting as natural filters for algae and other nutrients currently in excess.

This solution minimizes resource disruption, as the atolls will be formed using pre-existing materials in the canals. Marcos Island is in the process of procuring permits with general contractor Earthwerks and will begin construction as soon as allowed, paving a new path for nature-based solutions.