Community Research Project: HLPOA Naturalized
Shoreline Stabilization Research Project Report

Community Research Project: HLPOA Naturalized
Shoreline Stabilization Research Project Report

Maja DeForest and Jayme Cameron

Horseshoe Lake Property Owners' Association, Jeff Muirhead

Tom Whillans, Environmental and Resource Science/Studies

on-line

Haliburton County

Environmental Science, Environmental Restoration

This research project’s purpose is to explore suitable actions which can be used to mitigate shoreline erosion on Horseshoe Lake. We will compare both naturalized and constructed options to maintain and improve shoreline stabilization without hindering the ecosystem services or functions it provides to all stakeholders of the system. We will attempt to remain unbiased while searching for the most beneficial naturalized method to follow the County of Haliburton’s (CHA) goal of 75% owned shoreline to be natural through the mitigation of Horseshoe Lake Property Owners Association’s (HLPOA) concerns of shoreline stabilization. However, it must be noted that this goal pertains to the shoreline areas above the high-water mark (HWM) while Horseshoe Lake is dealing with shoreline degradation below the HWM which becomes MNRF and DFO jurisdiction.
After conducting a literature review, we have found that the best option for shoreline management of erosion is Slope and Vegetation Biomass Control. A close second would be the Brush Mattress combined with a Live Fascine. These naturalized options have been highlighted and recommended to use on Horseshoe Lake, and other reservoir lakes for the Trent-Severn. There are also some industrialized options included as not every property has the ability to implement naturalized erosion control. Out of all of the industrialized methods listed here, we suggest using Vegetated Riprap only in scenarios where naturalized control is unfeasible.

Trent University