Biotechnical Erosion Control - Current Practices and Considerations for the Future-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

The presentation reviews current shoreline erosion-control practices along Lake Michigan and considers their sustainability and resilience under climate change. The lake has 1,638 miles of shoreline, much of it privately owned, and many areas face high erosion risk. Climate-related factors highlighted include changing precipitation, fluctuating water levels, and declining ice-cover duration; high water and reduced ice can increase shoreline exposure to wave action.

Biotechnical erosion control uses plants and their root systems to stabilize shorelines and buffer waves. The presentation identifies candidate species suited to four shoreline zones, from underwater areas to uplands. Examples include <em>Peltandra virginica</em>, with a substantial root system that can disrupt wave action; <em>Juncus balticus</em>, which spreads by rhizomes and favors sandy shores; and drought-tolerant upland species such as <em>Liatris aspera</em> and <em>Ceanothus americanus</em>. Plant selection should account for each species’ growth habits and adaptive features.

Future challenges include gaps in the quantity and quality of data, differences in state regulations, public acceptance, accessibility, and the potential role of artificial intelligence. The presentation calls for further research, including Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology scale-model studies examining fibrous root structures in sandy soil and their effects on wave energy.

Keywords

Lake Michigan

shoreline erosion

climate change

biotechnical erosion control

wave action

root systems

shoreline vegetation

Peltandra virginica

Juncus balticus

sustainable shoreline management