The Edgewater site is a 64’ long privately owned shoreline along the east side of Muskegon Lake, located along Edgewater Street. Prior to restoration, the shoreline consisted of concrete and debris that had been historically placed.
Restoration of the shoreline included removal of the concrete and installation of a stone toe. Above the stone toe, bioengineered lifts were installed with native shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers. Additionally, whole logs were placed perpendicular to the shoreline to break up ice and create habitat.
As water levels rose, approximately 6-8’ waves reached the shoreline, which were higher than any previously recorded in the area. As a result, shoreline repairs were made in 2015 by adding larger stone to the toe and partially re-building the bioengineered lifts.
Year restored: 2012
Total Area Restored (by habitat type):
Shoreline softening=64 linear feet
Open Water Wetland=0.01
Emergent Wetland=0.02 acres
Upland Buffer=0.03 acres
Construction Facts:
$36,898 construction cost
182,735 tons of soil removed
25 native species planted
220 native shrubs installed
7 habitat structures installed
Construction
Post-Restoration
2019 Site Monitoring Summary
Site Summary Statistics
2019 Native Mean Coefficient of Conservatism: 3.1
2019 Floristic Quality Index (FQI): 14.9
2019 Total Native Species: 23
2019 Percent Invasive Species Cover: <5%
Invasive species currently present:
Spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe)
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
For more information on invasive plants and their management, CLICK HERE
Dominant native species:
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Bur reed (Sparganium eurycarpum)
Red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolinifera)
Common arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia)
For more information on native plants around Muskegon Lake, CLICK HERE
Site Summary:
Extremely high water levels have caused flooding along Edgewater drive, which has impacted the shoreline restoration. As an emergency protection measure, the City of Muskegon has placed stone over top of portions of the restored shoreline.
While originally planted as an upland buffer, the plant community has shifted and is now nearly entirely emergent wetland. Emergent plant species such as common arrowhead, white water lily, and bur reed are now growing out of cracks in Edgewater Street. Several populations of red osier dogwood remain along the shoreline.
Native Mean C=average coefficient of conservatism (C). Each plant is assigned a “C” value, which represents the probability that a plant will occur in an undisturbed area. C values range from 0-10. Wetlands with a native mean C greater than 3.5 are considered “high quality aquatic resources” (USFWS)
FQI=Floristic Quality Inventory, which is an indication of quality of the vegetation at a given site. In general, wetlands with an FQI above 20 are considered “high quality aquatic resources” (USFWS)
Management Recommendations
Invasive species are minimally present at the site.
For more information on invasive plant management, CLICK HERE.
Due to high water levels, little can be done to manage the site at this time. It is possible that the City of Muskegon may make repairs to the infrastructure along the lakeshore in this area, and may impact the shoreline restoration. If this occurs, the City should work to create the softest shoreline possible while still protecting infrastructure.
The site should be monitored 2-3 times per year to look for erosion and any invasive plants.