Grant providing glacial stone seawall match
August 25, 2023
We are excited to announce the Clear Lake Township Land Conservancy is providing cost-share grants for those wishing to protect their lake by improving concrete sea wall with glacial stone.
The Land Trust Alliance, based in Washington D.C., granted the Conservancy $4,000 to share with property owners wishing to help lessen the effects of waves on the Clear Lake shoreline. The Land Trust Alliance’s mission is to save the places people need and love.
Clear Lake Township Land Conservancy’s mission is to preserve, protect and manage the natural environment within the Clear Lake watershed and township for future generations.”
The purpose of a seawall is to protect the shoreline from erosion. However, on the 800-acre kettle lake, solid seawall can act like a bathtub, increasing the velocity of the waves as they crash against the seawall and are sent back into the churning waters.
Glacial stone dissipates wave action and reduces erosion. It decreases the amount of sediment suspended in the water leading to better water quality. Natural shoreline containing native flowers, grasses, sedges, trees and shrubs reduce excess nutrients and pollutants from entering the lake and stabilize the soil. They also absorb the wave action.
The Conservancy completed a shoreline survey last year that found that 61% of the shoreline has concrete seawall – compared with 10% natural shore and wetlands. Twenty percent of Clear Lake shoreline features the desired stone shoreline protection while 9% has glacial stone added along concrete seawall.
Seventeen shoreline projects installed 1,005 feet of glacial rock in 2015-16 – including at the Conservancy’s Kasota Island. The efforts reduced the sediment load by 1,917 pounds, the nitrogen load by 3,836 pounds and the phosphorous load by 1,917 pounds.
The conservancy would like to continue to facilitate shoreline refurbishing through cost-share agreements with property owners. The Land Trust Alliance Grant will reimburse a portion of a glacial stone project, allowing the property owner to be in charge of his or her own project with financial help from the Conservancy.
The Conservancy can also share guidance on the benefits of glacial stone seawall and feedback from property owners already doing their part to keep the lake natural and clean.
Eligibility details and application materials will be coming soon. Contact Caroline Barth, Executive Director, at director@clearlakeconservancy.org or 260-667-0350 for more information.