Constructed Rock Beach Winter Installation

First seen on Lake Winnibigoshish in a U.S. Forest Service demonstration site, a constructed rock beach is laid in front of a steep, high, eroding bank to encourage the bank to heal itself and vegetate. A berm of larger rock is placed on the three sides which are in the water. Then smaller rock or gravel is placed inside the berm. The larger rock holds the shape and resists wave action while the smaller rock dissipates the energy and provides space for the retreat of the water away from the steep bank. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) used this technique on Sugar Point on Leech Lake to protect an eroding lakeshore. This design was also specified to control erosion on Little Pelican Island in Leech Lake and to enlarge the habitat of the threatened common tern (Sterna hirundo). In both cases, the rock was hauled into place during the winter and placed on the ice. As the ice thawed, the materials fell into place. These projects were installed between 1999 and 2001 so have now withstood several years of varying climatic conditions and wave action.