When you're boating around Castle Rock Lake, Petenwell Lake or the Wisconsin River, you'll notice that not every shoreline looks the same.

Some are sandy. Some are heavily wooded and natural. Others have large rocks lining the water's edge.

Those rocks aren't necessarily there just for looks. In many cases, you're looking at riprap, one of the methods used to help protect a shoreline from erosion.

What is riprap?

Riprap is a layer of durable rock or stone placed along a shoreline, riverbank, slope or other area where moving water can cause erosion.

Instead of allowing waves and water movement to hit exposed soil directly, the rock helps absorb and break up some of that energy.

That's particularly relevant around larger Wisconsin bodies of water where wind, waves, boat traffic, ice and fluctuating water conditions can all affect the shoreline over time.

Why is riprap used on lakefront property?

Shoreline erosion doesn't usually happen because of one giant wave that suddenly carries away the yard.

It's often gradual.

Repeated wave action can remove small amounts of soil. Over time, that can change the shoreline, expose roots, destabilize portions of the bank and potentially affect improvements located near the water.

Properly designed shoreline protection can help reduce that erosion and stabilize vulnerable areas.

What materials are used for riprap?

When most people hear "riprap," they picture large fieldstone or boulders. That's common, but the appropriate material can depend on the specific project.

Riprap generally uses durable, appropriately sized stone capable of handling repeated exposure to water, weather, freezing and thawing. Depending on the location and project specifications, different types of quarried or natural stone may be used.

The size of the rock matters too.

A calm, protected shoreline doesn't necessarily experience the same forces as a shoreline exposed to large waves. Bigger isn't automatically better, and simply dumping a pile of rocks along the water isn't the same thing as a properly designed shoreline stabilization project.

There's often more underneath the rocks

This is something lake property buyers may not realize.

A riprap installation may involve preparation of the bank and underlying materials designed to help keep soil from washing out through spaces between the rocks.

The slope, underlying soil, drainage, rock size and placement can all influence how well the finished shoreline performs.

Riprap isn't the right answer for every shoreline

This is important.

Some shorelines may benefit from vegetation or other stabilization methods, while others may require a combination of approaches.

Wisconsin also regulates certain activities near navigable waterways, so property owners shouldn't assume they can alter a shoreline simply because they own the land.

Before beginning shoreline work, it's smart to determine what local, county, state or other requirements may apply to that particular property and project.

What should lake home buyers look for?

When we're looking at waterfront real estate, we aren't only looking at the house.

Look at the shoreline.

Is there evidence of erosion?

Is the bank steep?

Is riprap already present?

Does it appear stable?

Are portions shifting or washing out?

What does the shoreline look like where the water actually meets the property?

And if significant shoreline work has already been completed, buyers may want to learn more about when and how it was done.

These aren't necessarily reasons to avoid a property. They're simply part of understanding what you're buying.

Castle Rock Lake waterfront is about more than the house

One of the reasons we spend time exploring Castle Rock Lake and Petenwell Lake from the water is that you notice things you simply don't see from the road.

Shoreline conditions are a perfect example.

Two beautiful waterfront homes can offer very different shorelines, water access and maintenance considerations.

If you're considering buying a waterfront home on Castle Rock Lake, Petenwell Lake or elsewhere in Central Wisconsin, don't stop your evaluation at the back door.

Walk down to the water and look back at the property.

Sometimes that's where you'll learn the most.

 

Lakes Region Team | Terra & Jim Beaver
Weichert, Realtors
Serving Castle Rock Lake, Petenwell Lake, Juneau County, Adams County and surrounding Central Wisconsin