PROJECT:
suttons bay
shoreline stabilization
Photo Credit
Bioengineering to combat coastal erosion.
This project addresses a coastal erosion issue in the Village of Suttons Bay at their public marina at the eastern end of Coal Dock Park. This area is a spit of land that juts out between the north and south sections of the marina with a public fishing pier at the end. While boat slips line the north and south edges, the entire inner portion is a valuable coastal wetland with a direct connection to Lake Michigan.
Record high water levels on Lake Michigan in 2020 caused severe erosion along the eastern edge of Coal Dock Park on approximately 150 feet of shoreline, leaving a steep eroding bank. The erosion was also threatening access to and endangering the structure of the public fishing pier. At the time, the Village of Suttons Bay installed emergency trap bags to stop the erosion after losing almost 12 feet of shoreline.
Now that the water has receded, the village wants to remove the trap bags and install a long-term, natural shoreline stabilization method using a series of bioengineered lifts to stabilize the steep banks while preserving public access to the existing pier.
This project is part of a larger community effort undertaken by the Village of Suttons Bay to enhance areas of their public shoreline, including the adjacent coastal wetland, to provide natural resource protections and increased resiliency, as well as improved opportunities for public amenities and education.
Funds have been obtained to complete the design and engineering work only. We continue to work with the village and design team to obtain additional funding needed to complete the project.
Project Status: in progress
Installations:
- 150 feet of stabilized Grand Traverse Bay shoreline
Project partners:
- Village of Suttons Bay
Funding source:
- Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s Coastal Management Program
Total project cost:
- Estimated $135,000
Image provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resource's
Office of Coastal Management
Project Highlight
Bioengineered Lifts
The current design for shoreline stabilization at Coal Dock Park is utilizing bioengineered lifts. Bioengineered lifts, also called soil encapsulated lifts, are a highly versatile bioengineering technique that uses a combination of stone, soil, biodegradable manufactured materials like coir fabric, and native plants.
The technique uses soil that is placed in layers, or lifts, wrapped in biodegradable erosion control fabric and planted with native plants. As the biodegradable material deteriorates, the native plant roots grow into the bank and bind the soil to minimize erosion while creating habitat.
A custom native seed mix will be developed and native shrubs will be incorporates into the design to provide added stability. Woody habitat structures will also be used as much as possible to create additional habitat while creating added stability to the shoreline.
We restore the waterways that lead to Grand Traverse Bay.
