CITY OF DES MOINES SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM

Des Moines Shoreline Inventory and Characterization
shoreline has been armored or otherwise modified from historic conditions. These figures are
consistent with the level of armoring within the City of Des Moines. Approximately 75
percent of the City’s shoreline has been modified by riprap, concrete bulkhead, or wooden
bulkhead. Table 6 displays the predominant types of shoreline armoring and approximate
percentage of shoreline armored in each of the shoreline planning segments, based on review of
2001 oblique aerial photos and limited field reconnaissance.
Table 6. Shoreline Armoring by Segment
Segment
Length
(ft.)
Modified
Shoreline*
Description of Armoring**
Segment Length Percent
A 859 859 100% Rip-rap boulders at north end of park and surrounding
mouth of Des Moines Creek. Concrete bulk-head and
retaining wall, and unused concrete boat ramp at south
end of park.
B 7,931 7,931 100% Concrete bulkhead and retaining wall for the parking lot at
the Marina. Marina breakwater is boulder rip-rap.
C 8,412 4,247 50% Majority of segment is contiguous concrete bulkheads
associated with residential development, interspersed with
boulder rip-rap bulkheads and few wooden bulkheads.
South of S. 240th Street, areas at base of bluff have
unmaintained boulder bulkheads that have begun to washout.
D 1,241 885 71% North end and majority of park has boulder rip-rap with
concrete acting as bulkhead and retaining wall for filled
area. Both sides of McSorely Creek mouth is armored with
boulder rip-rap. South of creek beach is unarmored.
E 8,656 6,689 77% North end of segment has development on top of bluff and
limited bulkheading at the base of bluff. Areas with
development at base of bluff have fill areas with lawn and
associated concrete and boulder retaining walls/bulkheads.
Concrete bulkheading to support road near mouth of
Woodmont Creek. South of creek is predominantly
concrete bulkheads for residential properties.
F 521 506 97% Contiguous concrete bulkhead throughout associated with
roads, boat launch, and over water structures at Redondo.
G 3,096 2,903 94% Contiguous concrete bulkhead throughout associated with
Redondo Beach Dr. and boardwalk.
Total 30,716 24,019 75%
* Based on WDNR ShoreZone Inventory; ** Based on review of 2001 oblique aerial photography and field
reconnaissance.
Docks, Piers, and Over-Water Structures
Overwater structures include floating docks, covered moorage, piers, or marinas. Overwater
structures are typically located in the nearshore. They change the levels of light, shoreline
energy regimes, substrate type and stability, and water quality (Nightingale and Simenstad,
2001). These changes result in alterations in the abundance and diversity of species in the
Page 28 March 2005