Lake Seawall Stabilization

Maranatha Bible & Missionary Conference was caught between a rock and a hard place as a steel sheet pile seawall on the south side of the Mona Lake channel was failing. A dune, which had formed and grown along the Mona Lake Channel, was putting undue pressure on the seawall built in the late 1970s and rising lake levels were also causing erosion issues.

Maranatha officials were working on a seawall stabilization solution when the dune failed and deposited a large volume of sediment into the channel.

F&V initially provided a topographic survey of the area including the seawall, dune area and Maranatha beach and design engineering for re-grading the critical dunes area which required Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) and United States Army Corps of Engineering (USACoE) permitting. After failure of the dune, the Mona Lake Improvement Association took over the project as the channel serves as their access to Lake Michigan. After sediment removal and riprap construction, the channel was stabilized and re-opened to boaters.

As water levels rose, storms also caused significant erosion along Maranatha’s shoreline, threatening the structural integrity of its pool, an emergency turnaround and various other infrastructure. F&V provided survey, design and permitting in two phases to fast-track construction of a steel sheet pile and stone revetment structures to protect the shoreline, salvaging the remaining dune area and protecting Maranatha’s pool and infrastructure from further impact.

With the constructed improvements, erosion of the shoreline has been mitigated, adding significant protection against water level increases and storm events. The project restored a peace of mind for Maranatha officials, preserving the pool area, underground utilities and access road and salvaged the area to be used by its visitors as they enjoy their stay at the conference grounds.