- Consult a shoreline restoration specialist and/or local soil and water conservation districts staff to assess erosion type and damage and to develop a remediation plan.
- Use standard bioengineering practices such as bio logs -- live stakes from willow and dogwood (must be installed during the dormant season).
- Use seeds and plugs of aggressive native plant species, as appropriate for the region.
- Place coarse woody debris, such as brush bundles or logs to reduce wave action and allow natural regeneration of plants.
- Increase the wet meadow transitional zone through conservative re-grading of cut bank erosion.
- Non-degradable shoreline retention material should be avoided. See the Erosion Control and Plastic Mesh Netting fact sheet for more information.
Mississippi River shoreline after installing plastic mesh to stabilize shore. Photos: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources staff.
Entangled snake in plastic mesh at shoreline retention site along the Mississippi River. This material did not degrade after 3 years.
Stabilized shore after installing staked bio log for bank protection, and erosion control blanket; planted with appropriate native plants. Photo: Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District
Same site 1 year after installation. Careful weeding of invasive species at this stage is important. Photo: Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District
Stabilizing a river shoreline: A cedar log revetment protects the shore from spring flows; the staked bio log protects against boat-generated waves; sediment deposition between bio log and cedar logs create a low terrace to facilitate natural regeneration of vegetation. Photo: Anoka Conservation District
Public water access before redevelopment, 400 feet of sandy abused shoreline.
4 years after restoration, 40 feet wide well established buffer planting.
Eroded impoverished shoreline. Photo: Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District.
Conservative grading increases the wet meadow transition zone. Photo: Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District.
Planting of native seedlings in aquatic, wet and upland zones. Photo: Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District.
8 years later. Careful weeding over several years is essential for success. Photo: Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District.
Undercut shoreline before adding woody debris in 2006.
Oak trees dropped at the shoreline in 2007.
Same shoreline in 2012, accumulated sediment has repaired undercut and aided vegetation regeneration.