
Riprap: What it Is and What it Does
If you’ve never heard of the term riprap before, you might be under the impression that it’s a sound effect and not a physical object. But we assure you that it is, in fact, very real. Riprap is a term that’s used to describe a collection of rocky material that is placed on the edges of shorelines, bridges, slopes, and other objects that are adjacent to the shore to prevent the process of erosion. The rocks tend to vary in size, with the average being somewhere between four inches to two feet. (Size depends upon how fast the currents are.) The placement of riprap looks natural and helps protect while not diminishing natural aesthetics.

