Illinois Beach State Park Shoreline Stabilization
Michels Construction, Inc. built 24 offshore breakwaters along three sections of the Illinois State Park beach in Zion, IL, to preserve the last remaining natural shoreline in the state. The crew placed more than 750,000 tons of sand and 320,000 tons of stone, roughly half of which was sourced from a Michels quarry in Waterloo, WI. Rather than stopping erosion by building walls or high-profile coastal structures that aim to prevent the movement of sand altogether, the design guides and directs it instead.
During the final phase, vegetated concrete eco-blocks wrapped in coir (straw-like material) and planted with aquatic species were lowered into the lake near the breakwaters. Driftwood, limestone ledges, rock spurs and rock topper were also added, using GPS equipment to ensure accurate positioning of all habitat elements.
In addition to aiding marine life, Michels Construction designed and fabricated 10 tern nests to promote a robust population of these local seabirds. The team took it from a general concept of the build and completed calculations to ensure the nests were safe and could withstand the environmental loads, in addition to the induced loading when the nests were lifted into place.
The project was recognized as one of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association’s 2024 Best Restored Beaches and in 2023 received Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG) verification, the first Midwest, first Great Lakes and first breakwaters project to earn this rigorous technical verification.
