Shoreline Restoration Project

In 2023, following an extensive NOAA-funded feasibility study performed by OHM Advisors and an intense grant application process, Ford House was awarded a Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grant, a significant allocation of up to $7 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This grant is a monumental stride in restoring natural habitats along Ford Cove and Lake St. Clair’s shoreline, spanning approximately one mile.

The Shoreline Restoration Project, formally titled the Lower Lake St. Clair Habitat Restoration Project, is a collaborative endeavor between Ford House and NOAA, which considers this project one of Michigan’s top-priority coastal restoration projects. The principal objective of this grant is to support transformational projects that restore marine, estuarine, coastal, or Great Lakes ecosystems, using approaches that enhance community and ecosystem resilience to climate hazards.

Lake St. Clair, which lies between Michigan and Ontario, is an approximately 430-square-mile lake that connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie. Most of the U.S. Lake St. Clair coastline is in Macomb County, where the shoreline has seen a 99.9 percent reduction in natural shoreline. Of Macomb County’s 31.5 miles of shoreline, only 2,140 linear feet remain in a natural condition. Ford Cove is one of the few remaining areas in this portion of Lake St. Clair suitable for large-scale shoreline restoration to improve aquatic habitat and replace hardened shorelines with natural features. Between the calm waters within the cove and the higher energy system on the lake, this project will allow for a wide array of restoration techniques that we hope will drive and inspire other individuals, communities, and organizations in their efforts toward a sustainable shoreline.

This project prioritizes:

• habitat restoration actions that demonstrate significant impacts
• contribute to productive and sustainable fisheries
• contribute to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species
• promote resilient ecosystems
• improve economic vitality.
• broaden public access to previously inaccessible shoreline areas, fostering regionally significant habitat restoration for educational and recreational activities that nurture a deeper connection between communities and the natural environment.

Along with project partners GEI Consultants, InSite Design Studio, Edgewater Resources, and LimnoTech, Ford House aims to restore the natural balance of the shoreline by:

• implementing innovative erosion control measures
• reintroducing native plant species
• creating habitats for local wildlife.

This project goes beyond traditional boundaries within the gardening and landscaping industry, setting a new standard for environmental restoration. A design committee, consisting of local stakeholder groups and community members, was created to bring together a wide range of viewpoints to drive the success of this project in terms of community needs, ecology, and education. Early phases of this project included public surveys and outreach events to help determine the current uses of the project area and what the public envisions in the future. Additional public outreach events will occur throughout the design process and implementation.

Phase One of the project, which includes the initial $490,000 for engineering and design work, began in the summer of 2023 and is anticipated to be completed by the fall of 2024. Project implementation is expected to start in early 2025 and continue into 2026.

Stay tuned for additional updates!

Rendering of the Boat House platform. Credit: InSite Design Studios
Please note that the renderings are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect the final design or outcome of the project. Details are subject to change as the project progresses.

Rendering of the Boat House platform. Credit: InSite Design Studios
Please note that the renderings are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect the final design or outcome of the project. Details are subject to change as the project progresses