Sediment from eroding lake shorelines and stream banks can be detrimental to water quality and aquatic organisms. Excessive sediment washing into a lake can actually fill a lake or reservoirs basin causing a loss of depth and in shallow lakes and reservoirs increased turbidity. Eroding soil may contain phosphorus which can cause severe algal blooms. Sediments can also be detrimental to aquatic organisms. Sediment can cover rock and gravel beds used by fish for spawning; and increases the embedding of rocks utilized as habitat by a number of aquatic invertebrates fish feed upon.
Cost share for implementing erosion control measures on eroding lake shorelines and stream banks located along agricultural lands is available. Both hard and soft control measurements can be implemented. Hard practices include reshaping banks, placement of rock rip rap and erosion control fabric. Soft practices include the use of shrub bundles and vegetative treatments to stabilize shoreline and stream banks.
Landowners can be reimbursed up to sixty percent (60%) of the cost for implementing shoreline restoration practices. Landowners receiving project cost share will be required to implement riparian buffer zones along restored shoreline and stream banks.
