How Do You Restore A Lake That Has Been Damaged By Severe Shoreline Erosion?

Erosion due to rainwater runoff can cause a substantial amount of damage to a lake's shoreline. When it rains and water drains into the lake, it will pick up soil if the water is moving at high speeds. The soil ends up as sediment at the bottom of the lake. Erosion will cause the shoreline of a lake to look rugged and uneven and cause the lake to slowly widen. Fixing the problem involves making the shoreline even again and preventing any more erosion from occurring. To learn how to fix a lake that has been damaged by erosion, read on.

1. Excavate the Lake Sediment and Redistribute It Across the Shoreline to Make the Shoreline Even

To restore a lake that's been damaged by erosion, the first step is to smooth out the shoreline by excavating sediment from the lake and redistributing it. This will create a gentle slope at the edge of the lake. A gentle slope will prevent rainwater runoff from picking up speed as it drains into the lake, which helps prevent further erosion. Water that moves quickly is more likely to pick up soil from the ground. Smoothing the shore of the lake also makes it more visually appealing.

2. Install an Erosion Control Blanket Around the Perimeter of the Lake

After smoothing the lake's shoreline, the next step is to place an erosion control blanket around the edge of the lake. An erosion control blanket is a large woven mat that helps keep soil in place, preventing it from being eroded by rain and wind.

3. Plant Grass and Shrubs on the Lakeside

An erosion control blanket also helps keep seeds in place, which allows you to grow vegetation on the edge of your lake. Growing grass and small plants on the lake's shoreline is one of the best ways to prevent erosion from happening in the future. The root systems of the vegetation will help stabilize the soil, preventing it from being washed away during a storm.

Smoothing out the shoreline of your lake will repair the damage that has been done by erosion and make it look even and appealing again. Installing an erosion control blanket and growing vegetation on the lakeside will help prevent soil from eroding in the future, and preventing erosion means your lake won't widen or start to look ragged again.

If you have a lake on your property that has been damaged by erosion, call an erosion repair company and have it inspected. They'll come up with a plan to restore your lake's appearance and take steps to keep the soil on the lakeside secure and stable.