Shoreline Armoring at Cemetery

The existing shoreline was severely eroded along a large lake at a cemetery at a metropolitan Archdiocese. The shoreline erosion created steep embankments that were dangerous for the maintenance crews and visitors. Expediting the erosion was ice scour during the winter months when lake levels drawdown. Ice scour was a key factor in determining the shoreline armor. The erosion armor needed to be locked in place. Rip rap was susceptible to being displaced by ice.

Additionally, an aesthetic erosion control solution was required for the meticulously manicured grounds of the cemetery. The shoreline armor needed to support ground maintenance and mowing crews safely.

The design team chose vegetated concrete block erosion mats, Flexamat® Plus, for the shoreline armor. The concrete blocks are embedded into a high-strength geogrid, permanently locking them in place. The shoreline re-graded to a 3:1 slope. Prior to the concrete mat installation, the area was seeded. Within a few weeks, grass was growing within the tied concrete block mats.