Preparing Your Shoreline Area for Refill of the Lakes - Erosion and Sediment Deposits 
All four lakes are planned to be refilled by 2028. If the lakebottom in front of your property was affected by erosion or sediment deposits, you may wish to get some work done in preparation for lake refill. 

Erosion Repairs

If erosion of the lakebottom in front of your property poses a problem, it will be much easier to address before the lake is refilled.  Some important points: 

1. In most cases, if the lakebottom in front of your property has been stable since the May 2020 flood, there is probably nothing more you need to do. 
2. FLTF had money for erosion stabilization projects from 2020-2023, but those funds have been exhausted.   
3. The most important erosion to correct is any that threatens the stability of a structure on your property, including the seawall.  A seawall contractor can advise if ongoing erosion threatens your seawall.   
4. Any work that requires filling an eroded area will require a permit from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). 

Learn What to Plant

Permit Requirements

Erosion Resources

EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) 
Shoreline protection information and resources

Michigan Shoreline Partnership 
is an organization that works with both EGLE and Michigan State University to gather experts and determine natural ways to combat shoreline erosion
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Basics of natural shoreline erosion control

Michigan State University 
Rebuilding an eroding bank on an inland lake

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Sediment Removal

If the flood left enough sediment deposits on the lakebottom in front of your property to cause a problem, such as docking your boat, you may wish to move or remove the sediment. If you wish to grade or remove the sediment, you must obtain an EGLE permit. ​

Permit Requirements

Erosion Stabilization Examples

The Edenville Dam failure left miles of shoreline along the Tittabawassee River eroded. Immediately following the dam failure, Four Lakes Task Force compiled initial damage assessments for FEMA and identified, at the planning level, that $20 million of investment was needed to stabilize bank erosion and $4.5 million to remove debris within the four lakes. ​

BEFORE - Donald Drive

AFTER - Donald Drive

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BEFORE - Curtis Road

AFTER - Curtis Road

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BEFORE - Weeping Willow

AFTER - Weeping Willow