Shoreline Restoration: Lessons Learned from Highly Developed Lakes in Northern Indiana

Shoreline development along lakes in northern Indiana is typical of many lakes throughout the country.  Shoreline armoring, aquatic plant treatment, and intensive shoreline vegetation management leads to a significant loss of near shore fish habitat.  Associated shoreline erosion due to increased wave energy causes further degradation of habitat.  Many times there are opportunities within each lake to stabilize small sections of shoreline, improve fish habitat, and demonstrate how recreational and residential lake use can be balanced with a functioning shoreline.  Capitalizing on these opportunities requires understanding the issue causing erosion or loss of habitat, developing a sustainable bioengineered solution, and considering the human dimension into the overall design. Three projects completed across lakes in Indiana provide examples of a series of different bioengineering techniques to address shoreline habitat loss. Each lake represented a unique set of challenges to restore the shoreline including wave energy, variation in lake elevation, access to the site, and the degree of human influence. A commonality among each project was developing a working relationship with the lake residents to set project expectations and educate them on proper shoreline management. Successful projects restore discrete areas of the shoreline and also indirectly modify overall lake resident perception and behavior.