Lake Independence Dam: APS Polymer Softens Bank Scour in Big Bay, Michigan

Lake Independence near Big Bay, Michigan, was enlarged by a 1930s hydroelectric dam on the Iron River. The Marquette County Drain Commission still maintains water levels for lakefront property even though power generation ended. Years of bank scour beside the dam led to sandbagging as the usual fix. Continued erosion risked cutting around the dam, draining the lake, damaging the ecosystem, and harming property values. Soft armor here is an erosion control BMP paired with structural containment.

After failed proposals, the Drain Commission and DEQ permitted APS to stabilize the bank: clear tall vegetation, stake a low-water line, lay non-woven geosynthetic fabric with overlap for containment, place sand/soil, fold fabric over, and armor with medium rock. A seed–mulch–polymer mix then covered the rock bank—clover, perennial rye, tall fescue, and millet, with clover supplying nitrogen without fertilizer. Site-tested APS 705 powder bound materials into a matrix that held seed in place for cover—aligned with APS sediment control enhancement practice.

Work took about two weeks. Grasses emerged from within three days to two–three weeks and returned the following spring. Erosion stopped, the dam was protected, and lake water stayed crystal clear with a visually pleasing bank—another example of APS polymers with BMPs protecting water resources and property with limited construction impact.