THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS
When one is considering the installation of shore protection, a few considerations need to be attended to. A poor financial mistake can haunt a lakefront property owner for years to come, simply by accepting the incorrect system, or not knowing the legalities of the choice.
Where am I positioned on the lake?
Typically, Michigan winds come from the west. If your property is positioned on the eastern shoreline with no interruptions such as islands or peninsulas, you are vulnerable to "ice push" from prevailing winds blowing ice mass into your shoreline.
Wave action?
Not only prevailing winds cause havoc to lake frontages. Today's watercraft such as wake boats and jet skis provide such a vortex of wave action, that unprotected shorelines or inferior shore protection seek failure quickly.
Rodents?
What is in my shoreline? Yes, that is a rat! Muskrats are a member of the rat family that are amphibious. Muskrats burrow into unprotected shorelines and some shore protection are not an effective deterrent.
Can I get a permit?
Permitting agencies are not blind to the needs for shore protection. However, it is all our responsibilities as lakefront homeowners to protect the ecology of the lakes. As mentioned on our home page, not every system works for every situation. What is the need for the type of structure I am choosing?
Every seawall and shore protection structure installed below the legal level or High-water mark of water body 5-acres or more with tributaries require a permit from the DEQ. Soil Erosion permits are also required after the DEQ permit is obtained; local municipal permits are sometimes required and is the duty of the Contractor to substantiate the claim.
Cosmetics and Affordability?
Not all shore protection is pretty. Function should be the keyword in your decision making. If the chosen system is the incorrect functioning system, you, the property owner, and contractor lose. No one can afford that.