Shoreline Erosion Repair

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Case Study: Reconstruction of Collapsed Neighborhood Canal Banks

This article was provided by vendor partner, SOX Erosion Solutions.

Problem: Eroding canal banks claim homeowners’ yards, docks, and pools.

Solution: Create a fortified living shoreline behind 43 homes in a Florida community.

Living on a canal loses some of its luster when the canal banks collapse into the water, taking part of the yard, and maybe the fence or a dock with it.

That’s what homeowners in Oriole Estates in the city of Lauderdale Lakes had been facing, after years of erosion and neglect. But now, homeowners have a fortified “living shoreline” behind 43 canal-front homes.

Erosion Damage Along the Canal

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Erosion Damage Along the Canal

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Erosion Damage Along the Canal

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Assessing the Problem

The eroded canal banks were on city property and it was the city of Lauderdale Lakes that sought solutions to this vexing problem. They had installed Geo-Tube on sections of the canal in the past and it had failed, resulting in the present conditions. Officials were advised not to use Geo-filter Tubes again by the Geotechnical Engineering Report by Terracon, an independent consulting firm.

The city officials were all set to move forward with repairing the canal walls with Gabion baskets filled with rock even though the high costs only allowed a portion of the neighborhood to be done – only 12 of 43 homes would get restored banks.

Finding the Right Solution for the Community

The savvy general contractor, Abbey Fiallo of Metro Equipment Service Inc. in Miami, already had the job, but he discovered that if the project used SOX Erosion Solutions and their Shoresox living shoreline product, the project could expand to include many more feet of shoreline.

He got a bid from SOLitude Lake Management, the exclusive service provider of Sox Erosion Solutions in the State of Florida, and together they were able to demonstrate how all 43 canal-front homes could get restored banks for less money than using the Gabion baskets on just 12 property fronts.

SOX: A Worthwhile Investment

The city officials and engineers approved Fiallo’s plan to lay a foundation of rock rubble based on sections of the shoreline and apply SOX Erosion Solution’s Shoresox product on top to create a living shoreline.

The kicker was that this solution would save the city of Lauderdale Lakes $2.5 Million and all 43 homes would get new shorelines. The Gabion basket plan would have cost $2.5 million more than using Shoresox and would have provided less reclamation.

“The option is definitely less expensive than other methods like building seawalls,” City Manager Phil Alleyne said. The job to strengthen 3,250 feet of shoreline is the city’s largest canal bank restoration effort so far.

ShoreSox Install

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ShoreSox Install

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ShoreSox Install

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Deploying the SOX System

The SOLitude Lake Management crew installed the Shoresox bioengineered erosion control system using their patented subsurface anchoring system. Once staked in and stabilized, the mesh was pumped full of black dirt, compost material and topsoil. The mesh surface was then topped with St. Augustine grass squares. The shoreline is expected to last several decades.

General contractor, Abbey Fiallo, describes the final product as aesthetically pleasing. Working concurrently with the SOLitude Lake Management crew, Fiallo says the entire project took six to eight weeks with four to five of those weeks concentrating on the Shoresox installation. “Both companies planned together an maximized production time,” says Fiallo. “In addition to the $2.5 million saved by the city, we actually saved them another $24,000 because we never had a change order.”

The Results: Before & After

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Enhancing Aesthetics and Regaining Lost Land with SOX

After the install, backyards grew by several feet, putting a safer distance between the erosive waters and residents’ pools, pool decks, docks and cabanas. “We reclaimed approximately six feet of shoreland in the back of their yards,” said Brian Fischer of SOX Erosion Solutions. “It definitely improves home values.”

The Importance of Shoreline Management

Repair Your Eroded Shorelines

Call us at 888-480-5253 or complete the form below to connect with an aquatic management expert.

SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty and preserve natural resources.

SOLitude’s team of aquatic scientists specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs. Services include water quality testing and restoration, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, shoreline erosion control, muck and sediment removal and invasive species management. SOLitude partners with homeowners associations, golf courses, private landowners, businesses and municipalities. SOLitude Lake Management is part of Rentokil, a leading business services company, operating across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

For more information, visit SOLitude Lake Management at solitudelakemanagement.com, and connect on FacebookLinkedIn and Twitter.

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