Shoreline protection can come in several forms, and state regulations must be taken into consideration.
If shoreline protection walls are an available option on your property, we offer two choices: Vertical Timber or C-Loc Vinyl. It is very important to replace your shoreline protection before it fails. Replacement bulkheads can only be permitted if the original is 85% intact.
Stone rip-rap is sometimes a better (or required) option. In these cases, we offer white/gray, or blue.
In certain circumstances, the state may require a living shoreline. The State of Maryland passed the new Living Shoreline Protection Act into law in October 2008. With this law, "Living Shorelines" are now the preferred method of shoreline erosion control in Maryland.
Living Shorelines Provide Natural Erosion Control
According to the Chesapeake Bay Trust website, a living shoreline is defined as one that utilizes "shoreline stabilization techniques that use natural habitat elements to protect shorelines from erosion while also providing critical habitat for Bay wildlife." Recent environmental studies indicate that living shorelines decrease harmful environmental impacts, and in some cases may even offer greater erosion control than traditional shoreline protection systems such as wooden bulkheads, rock walls and similar "hard revetments."
Add Beauty and Value to Your Waterfront Property, At Lower Cost
Because living shorelines use natural habitat elements, they are often considered more naturally beautiful. They can improve the aesthetic quality of any property (when viewed from either the water or the home) and also increase the resale value of any home for which they are installed. As an added bonus, together with potentially available grant funds, some living shoreline designs may actually be more cost effective to install than traditional (hard) revetments.
Types of Living Shorelines
There are several types of living shorelines, primarily designated by the amount of erosion control required on a particular site. Some systems use only living elements, allowing trees and shrubs, biologs, marsh grasses, oyster reefs and underwater grasses to do the job. Hybrid living shorelines utilize combinations of these living elements with segmented rock sills or jetties, which still allow turtles and other wildlife beach access while simultaneously protecting the beach.
Design and Installation –
Permits and Processes for Creating a Living Shoreline
As an environmentally conscious company, Bay Pile Driving has followed the recent studies as well as the current and pending state legislation that has resulted from them. We are educated in the design and installation of living shorelines for both residential and commercial/industrial properties along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and would love to talk with you about your own living shoreline project. Depending on current legislation and availability, grant monies may be awarded for eligible living shoreline projects for both home owners and communities through state programs and private foundations. Bay Pile Driving will assist you in determining eligibility and securing grant monies when possible. We also assist in the permitting process, in order to assure that any work we do is in compliance with federal, state and local regulations.
For more information, please download this PDF document from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation regarding living shorelines.
If you are considering any type of shoreline protection for your waterfront property, please contact us for a consultation to explore the possibilities and gather information on the current legal practices regarding both hybrid- and living shorelines.
