Join the Flathead Lakers and Flathead Lake Biological Station at Science on Tap for a fun evening of science, camaraderie, and beer!

Presentation: “Gravel Beach Dynamics, Erosion Control, and Shoreline Restoration at Flathead Lake” by Dr. Mark Lorang, retired associate research professor at the UM’s Flathead Lake Biological Station and founder of Freshwater Map.

Summary: Wave erosion is a big problem around Flathead Lake!  Today, much of the shoreline has been modified with seawalls and riprap – traditional erosion control “solutions” that are costly for landowners and detrimental to lake ecology.  Shoreline erosion is fundamentally caused by lake level regulation, but the issue is exacerbated by rigid seawall and riprap treatments.  These treatments only protect the land behind them while increasing erosion at adjacent, unprotected shorelines... and hence, encourage the construction of more hardened control structures.  Unfortunately, this “solution” has a negative impact on water quality and the many vital components of the lake’s natural ecology.  In this this talk, Dr. Mark Lorang will focus on designing and building gravel beaches as a nature-based alternative solution to the fundamental wave erosion problem.  He will explore the problem through a systems view of gravel beach dynamics coupled with many case study examples of gravel beaches built over the past three decades here in Flathead Lake.

When/Where: Wednesday, August 5, from 6:30–7:50 pm at Bunker's Bar & Grill at the Polson Bay Golf Course.

Follow GiveButter link below for tickets: