Statement on Shoreline Erosion

FLTF understands that residents are concerned about shoreline erosion in and around their properties with the lakes at their current levels. We are coordinating with state and local agencies to determine broader solutions to the problem at hand. We will produce more information on this issue in the coming weeks.
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What to Do Now
1) Consult with your county extension agent (Midland contact or Gladwin contact) or a professional landscaper for an on-site inspection and recommendations.

• They will be able to recommend plants and strategies to stabilize shorelines based on slope, elevation, moisture content and soil type or whether riprap is the best solution

2) Plant native grasses and vegetative buffers for your lakeshore that are proven to slow shoreline erosion on inland lakes.
3) Install riprap (rocks) to stabilize current slopes and replace rocks by your sea wall.
4) Extend drain lines down to the current water’s edge.

Resources to Learn More

• 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 (MSU) to gather experts and determine solutions of natural ways to combat shoreline erosion
  • Basics of natural shoreline erosion control
• MSU has some great educational resources on ways to combat shoreline erosion. We recommend homeowners explore their website and familiarize themselves with the information available. Here is one article that homeowners may find particularly helpful: Rebuilding an eroding bank on an inland lake

Permitting Under Part 301
EGLE is responsible for permitting projects on soil erosion. Minor projects such as the planting of native grasses, installing riprap and extending drain lines do not require a permit. Part 301 has exemptions for repair and maintenance of existing structures and previously permitted work. Please review the specific language below regarding which projects are okay to be completed without an additional permit. If there are any questions regarding the necessity of a permit for a specific job, we recommend that homeowners contact EGLE.
 
Exemptions of Part 301
324.30103 Exceptions
(j) Maintenance of a structure constructed under a permit issued pursuant to this part and identified by rule promulgated under section 30110 if the maintenance is in place and in kind with no design or materials modification.

R 281.815 Structure Maintenance
Rule 5. The following structures may be maintained in accordance with section 30103(j) of the act:
a) Seawalls, if the repair is only of the seawall facing or sheeting or support piling and if the maintenance does not encompass more than 25% of the permitted seawall length. Cap maintenance or replacement can be done for 100% of permitted seawalls.
b) Riprap shore protection structures if original materials have been displaced by erosion or ice damage and the placement of earthen fill will not be required as part of the maintenance and if retrieval of the riprap will not cause disruption of adjacent bottomland.

​Update On Shoreline Erosion
June 6, 2021
Four Lakes Task Force (FLTF) has made great progress on stabilizing eroded shorelines around Sanford and Wixom Lakes.  Under the Emergency Watershed Protection grant program, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has partnered with FLTF to stabilize over a mile of unstable shoreline and has several projects pending engineering, property owner agreements and EGLE permitting.  New projects are about to begin on Sanford, Wixom and Secord lakes.
FLTF advertised a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) erosion repair program in the spring of 2021, but received only 3 expressions of interest from property owners, not enough to justify the cost of buying materials for the program.  FLTF will offer the DIY option again in the future in case there is more interest at that time.

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