Seawall Project #3 - Wolf River

On the Wolf River Pond, we worked with landowners to restore a shoreline that was on the verge of collapse. Turf grass stretched all the way up to a failing seawall, and over the years the river had been steadily cutting underneath the wall. It was only a matter of time before the entire structure slid into the water. Thankfully, these landowners reached out to us, and together we replaced the seawall with engineered riprap—a rock placement that not only withstands wave action and ice shove but also provides far more fish habitat than seawalls ever could.

Behind the riprap, we mulched over the shallow-rooted turf grass and replaced it with a rich mix of native plants. Unlike turf grass, which has roots only a few inches deep, native plants send roots down several feet below the surface. This deep rooting system stabilizes the soil, soaks up surface water runoff before it can enter the river, and creates essential habitat for pollinators and wildlife.

Some of the standout natives in this project include Blue False Indigo, Skyblue Aster, and Tufted Hairgrass—plants that will not only strengthen the shoreline but also bring seasonal beauty to the landscape. The landowners even contributed some of their own native plants, which we were happy to include in the design.