Learning Center

In order for a man-made lake to maintain its appearance and function, it must be properly maintained. Although a lot of factors are involved in lake and pond maintenance, at the most basic level, a healthy lake essentially has clean water with a well-balanced pH, a flora and fauna population that is entirely or mostly native, shorelines with thick, healthy littoral shelves and no erosion present, and a frequently maintained storm-water management system that ensures proper handling and discharge of rainwater. For proper maintenance, each spray technician must have a knowledge of the species of plants growing in the lake and on the shoreline. They must also know how to kill/remove the exotics without harming the beneficial native species . When exotic species (weeds) get out of control, they harm the native flora and fauna and can affect water quality. Exotics must be sprayed with an EPA or DEP approved herbicide and must be hit surgically by a seasoned technician so as to avoid overspray onto beneficial native littorals in the vicinity. This is one of the most difficult tasks for a large lake maintenance company to complete properly because of the hundreds or thousands of lakes they must treat each year. So, try to stay away from the huge companies (several dozen to hundreds of maintenance accounts) where you are just a statistic. The company you hire should have a horticulturist, botanist, or biologist on staff in order to help solve complicated lake problems when the need arises.

Hydrogeology is the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust. The terms groundwater hydrology, geohydrology, and hydrogeology are often used interchangeably. 1 This is a hyper-focused field of research that deals directly with erosion and its effects on ponds, lakes, rivers, canals, and streams. The root word is hydro (water)- geo (earth)- ology (the study of). In the field of erosion control it is important to analyze where water is coming from so that the root of the problem can be addressed. Then, it must be determined how the water is eroding the earth underneath it. Is there a lack of stabilizing ground-cover such as sod, mulch, or matting? Is the soil loose and uncompacted? How quickly does the water move over land? Unless these questions are addressed, you may be coming up with a plan or installing a system that is going to be less effective at erosion control.

Hydroecology is the science and related engineering aspects pertaining to the movement of water through an ecosystem or environment as it relates to the complex and changing interactions between precipitation, water flow, water storage, flora, and fauna. In the erosion control industry, this study becomes important because of the flourishing natural ecosystem found on all lakes, ponds, rivers, canals, wetlands, preserves, and hammocks. More specifically, the amount of littoral (seasonally-flooded) plants that are present as a direct result of water present. Lakes and ponds that are allowed to get too dry or have too much water pumped out of them will typically have less native flora and fauna. Additionally, lakes that receive unhealthy water from pollution, run-off, algae blooms, etc. usually have an unhealthy ecosystem both in the water and just above it on the shorelines. Water from rainfall is absorbed by a planned community’s storm water management system. This system directs the water into the lakes underground. However, the water that falls in areas where it is not “managed” can create sheet flow, washouts, erosion, and damage to the landscaping and/or lake. A body of water with a healthy littoral shelf (congregation of seasonally-flooded plants) fosters activities such as nesting and feeding for local wildlife. It also helps stabilize the shoreline from erosion and may filter out heavy metals and contaminates from fertilizer and other man-made chemicals. Ergo, an evenly distributed and sustainable waterflow (hydro) on and above a shoreline helps sustain a healthy ecosystem (ecology). Rainwater that is allowed to undermine sod, turf reinforcement mat (TRM), and synthetic geotubes and ShoreSOX® will lead to sinking sod, failed mats, and exposed bags/tubes on your lake system. This is not good!

Water volume is an important factor in every stormwater management system because it assures that your system is matched to the size of your community. When rainwater enters your gutters in the streets and common areas, it is directed into your lakes. Your lakes become massive retention areas for this rain water. Thus, your lakes must be dug deep and wide enough to hold an appropriate amount of water volume. If they do not achieve this, your stormwater culverts and pipes could fill up and overflow, leading to flooding problems. This is why there is typically some degree of flooding during and after 20-year, 50-year, and 100-year rain events and/or natural disasters… the system is designed to handle an average amount of water volume and simply can’t handle the additional water.

Water velocity, as it pertains to erosion, is the measure of moving waters effect on the hard surfaces it comes into contact with. Water velocity on a river or stream is much higher than water velocity on a standing body of water such as a lake or pond. It can also be taken into account when measuring sheet flow erosion and its effect on horizontal surfaces such as banks and shorelines. Here, the water velocity is very low, but the actual water affects a larger area of land. As water passes by a hard surface, it creates friction and turbulence which agitates the surface and can break free fine particles in some cases, taking the particles with it. The higher the water velocity, the more particles it can detach and carry away. Conversely, little to no water velocity will have very little effect on the hard surface. Water flowing quickly along a sandy shoreline will cause immediate erosion whereas water sitting in a retention pond with little movement may saturate the hard surface, but will cause much less erosion.  For rivers and streams, it is important to help reduce erosion by hardening the shoreline so that the flow of water has less effect on causing erosion. This can sometimes be rock, boulders, Turf Reinforcement Mat, seawalls, sheet pile, bulkhead, or other methods. These structures help buffer the effects of flow, tide, and wake from boat traffic. Navigable waterways are ones that allow for boat or vessel traffic. Non-navigable waterways are ones that do not experience boat traffic. So, factors such as these must be taken into account when planning for erosion control systems along a shoreline or bank.

Soil composition has a large influence on erosion- namely how fast it occurs and the specific type of erosion that you can expect. Soil is different depending on where in the United States you are. Soil in Hawaii is much different than soil in Oregon or Florida. Here in south Florida, our soil is mostly comprised of sand, shell, rock, silt, and some organic matter. Even within Florida, soil composition varies from region to region, county to county. With regard to erosion, we are able to analyze the “eroded material” that falls downward on a shoreline or lake bank into the water. Generally, silt is the first component to erode because it is the finest particulate. Then, fine silica sand is the next to erode. So, if a planned community is built in an area with high silt or silica content in its soil it will be more prone to erosion when water comes into contact with it.  It is important to use the correct aggregate, or aggregate blend, when repairing diagonal eroded slopes, banks, and culverts. An aggregate with a clay or organic binder typically compacts well and acts as a good sub-grade (the ground underneath the final covering). Dredging the silt and muck from the bottom of a lake is not a good practice. You are removing and reusing the same exact material that eroded in the first place! Some will make the assertion that “you need to reclaim the eroded material, instead of adding material to the lake which is a bad practice”. Although adding imported material onto the shoreline may alter the volume of the lake, the degree in which it is altered is negligible and thus has no effect on the lake’s ecology, water quality, flora, or fauna.

Some of the dangers of erosion include safety concerns, land and property loss, liability, non-compliance issues, structural damage, and detriments to lake health. All of these dangers are the same throughout the state of Florida, except for non-compliance issues which can vary city by city and county by county. Below we will discuss non-compliance issues that apply specifically to south Florida and some gulf-coast counties in south Florida. If you live outside of these areas, you’ll want to consult with a local engineer or attorney to find out what needs to be done to keep your waterbodies in compliance.  Safety concerns are the most important factor when it comes to erosion control and are the impetus for the creation of compliance rules, laws, and regulations. When a shoreline becomes eroded it poses a danger to people, pets, and lawn care workers. There are cases of lawn care workers tragically falling into a lake with their equipment pinned on top of them leading to drowning and death. This can be avoidable! The biggest danger to lawn care personnel (as well as others) is “spongy sod” that appears healthy from above, but has no soil base underneath it due to hidden erosion. These areas lead to trips, falls, and stuck lawncare equipment and they are often up on horizontal land, not on the shoreline. The drop-off on the shoreline is called an escarpment. A moderate to severe escarpment poses a danger of falling and injury. Additionally, erosion can cause the slope of the back yard or property to become steep which makes it difficult to walk on or navigate equipment safely. Both the escarpment and slope must be addressed in order to prevent potential injury. Land and property loss occur when erosion is left unchecked. Many residential properties in south Florida that are 10-20 years old have upwards of 8 to 10 feet of land loss adjacent to the shoreline! This land loss is always within the lake bank easement, but nonetheless is private property that the homeowner paid good money for! Stabilizing a shoreline is ALWAYS less expensive than fully restoring lost land and THEN stabilizing the shoreline to ensure the restoration is permanent. Unfortunately, builders in Florida are typically not required to harden or permanently stabilize the shoreline around a pond or lake when they build it which subjects the shoreline to pernicious erosion over time.

The three primary types of lake, pond, and river erosion are Sheet Flow Erosion, Rill Erosion, and Splash Erosion. But erosion can also occur on horizontal areas such as landscaping, ditches, swales, berms, walls, and structures. The difference is whether the eroded land is part of a diagonal slope or a horizontal plane. Erosion in the landscape generally consists of berms and ditches losing their depth and consequently their efficacy. This can be remedied by cleaning out the eroded material, re-grading the area while ensuring a proper pitch for correct water flow and drainage, and securing the top of the land with sod or an aggregate.

Budgeting for Lake Repairs is often the biggest hurdle for communities and homeowners to overcome. Builders are generally not required to harden shorelines to help prevent erosion when a planned community is constructed. At some point, builders “turn over” a community to the Home Owner’s Association (HOA) when lakes are ostensibly in compliance with permits and development orders. Erosion is pernicious. Over time it becomes a major problem on lakes and must be addressed at a cost. Communities that don’t have a funded lake maintenance account and no provision for it in their reserve study often pay for their erosion repairs through the use of reserve funds or by Special Assessments or Commercial Loans.

Marine construction is always on water, so there are naturally two Installation Methods employed to get the construction materials or aggregates to the shoreline: Installation by Sea or Installation from Land (below picture).

Construction on a shoreline to stop erosion is called Freshwater Marine Construction. This is hyper-specialized sub-category within the construction industry. Not many construction companies offer erosion control and shoreline stabilization services we are the only company in Southwest Florida that specializes in it! After many years of research and development and working closely with marine civil engineers, some of the most effective and most advanced erosion control systems in the industry are now available. These systems are competitively priced and typically last much longer than the alternatives. The Erosion Defense SystemTM utilizes native Rip Rap rock to offer superb resistance to erosion. The Hybrid Shell SystemTM,PatPend utilizes crushed shell and native Littoral Plants, to create a system that actually becomes more effective with time. There is also an Organic Shoreline SystemTM which the most natural-looking system and features biodegradable Turf Reinforcement Mat with Littoral Plants (left picture). Lastly, the Shore RestoreTM system is our most economical system and simply returns the shoreline back to its original look. There are other systems that have shorter lifespans, utilize outdated technology, and are not environmentally friendly. These include: Geotubes (below picture), ShoreSox® DredgeSox®, Erosion Control Blankets/Turf Reinforcement Mats, and Geoweb. These systems are priced about the same as the ones discussed above, but typically only last a few to several years. They all depend on synthetic materials to hold in the shoreline and eventually the grass and plants used to cover them dies off and exposes the material. This often leads to worse escarpments (drop-offs) at the edge of the shoreline which can create dangerous conditions and make the water body out of compliance. Contractors often have to come in and remove the old system and install a new, more natural system. (The Erosion Defense SystemTM also utilizes a synthetic material, but it rarely ever becomes exposed because of a thick layer of natural rock that covers it permanently.) Additionally, there are documented cases in which native wildlife has become trapped and killed by these synthetic systems. Lakes need a system that increases the native wildlife population… not one that decreases it!

Erosion occurs when a material or aggregate is moved from a high to a low position due to the effects of water, wind, or other forces- whether natural or man-made. Erosion Control (aka Shoreline Stabilization) must be implemented on the shoreline of all bodies of water in the United States with effective, environmentally-friendly, and long-term solutions. The three primary Types of Lake, Pond, and River Erosion are Sheet Flow Erosion, Rill Erosion, and Splash Erosion. But erosion can also occur on horizontal areas such as landscaping, ditches, swales, berms, walls, and structures. The various Dangers of Lake and Pond Erosion include Safety Concerns, Land and Property Loss, Liability, Non-compliance Issues, Structural Damage, and Detriments to Lake Health. Erosion is pernicious, so it is often overlooked and not addressed in time. That is why it is very important to control erosion before too much land loss occurs. Unfortunately, many homeowners, business owners, and residential communities are stuck with a repair cost because not enough was done when the property was first developed to anticipate future erosion. Erosion is different in every state and in every climate- so many factors come into play when creating an erosion control plan, including Soil Composition , Water Velocity , Water Volume , Hydrogeology , Hydroecology , and surrounding properties, Wetlands, and Preserves.

Over time, a concrete pipe loses its original dirt foundation due to erosion. This leads to settling and separation in the pipes as seen in this picture. If not repaired, the end piece will eventually separate completely and fall into the lake. The South Florida Water Management District and local County Code Enforcement will begin issuing citations and possibly fines before, during, or after this occurs.

All planned communities in Florida are required to have a stormwater management plan which usually involves lakes which are used as retention areas for water. These bodies of water succumb to erosion and fall into disrepair. At Seabreeze Erosion Solutions, we have recognized this underserved environmental need and are addressing it head-on!

“Ever since I discovered a beautiful native anhinga bird had drowned from getting its head stuck underwater in a geotube, I am strongly opposed to using geotubes for erosion control knowing what can go wrong with them. As a new member of our HOA’s board, I’m hoping to influence other options.”

Geotubes are a ubiquitous remedy for shoreline erosion on bodies of fresh water in South Florida. A geotube is a long bag or sock that is filled with lake bottom sediment, imported fill, pine straw, or other materials. The efficacy of Geotubes is based on the presumption that 1)soil and sod will sit on top of a synthetic material and grow long term and 2)sod will survive underwater. Both of these presumptions are false. Once installed, the Geotubes themselves are invisible because they are covered with fresh, new sod that extends all the way down to just below the high-water level on lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. This is attractive to communities that see the finished product and receive a quote on the product and installation which is typically less than all other forms of shoreline stabilization. But the old adage applies here… “you get what you pay for”. Most shorelines that are stabilized with Geotubes need to be redone or rebuilt every 5-7 years due to the aforementioned presumptions.

Once your shoreline erosion has been restored with compacted fill, native sod can be applied afterwards in order to hold the fill. Also, we stock a variety of native palms, plants, and trees that can be planted in littoral zones, wetland areas, and seasonally flooded landscapes. Examples include Bahia sod, Everglades Palms, Sand Cordgrass, and Bald Cypress Trees.

This product (Flexamat®) is manufactured in the Midwest and used extensively in Southeastern states as a viable erosion control option. It creates a hardened shoreline system that can work in conjunction with littoral plants or hydroseeding. It is comprised of concrete muffins poured within a polypropylene type of netting.

For shorelines with mild erosion or small cavities, we can install and compact fill with our own proprietary binding agent in order to restore the shoreline to its original slope.