A rock revetment on the Caloosahatchee or a Fort Myers canal should be inspected yearly and after every named storm, with shifted stone reset, fabric repaired, and any required plantings kept healthy.
866-398-9323Licensed seawall specialists — FL · GA · SC
Seawall Repairs by Solid Foundations provides revetment maintenance in Fort Myers, FL for riverfront homeowners, HOAs, and commercial property managers. Typical projects include resetting stone moved by Ian's river surge, rebuilding scoured toes on natural shoreline near Iona and Punta Rassa, and repairing fabric under rock revetments in McGregor. Call 866-398-9323 or use the quote form to book a free on-site inspection.
A revetment is a sloped rock shoreline of armor stone over bedding rock and filter fabric. It absorbs waves rather than reflecting them. In unincorporated Lee County, new or expanded seawalls aren't allowed on natural waterbodies, so rock revetments are one of the main ways riverfront and bay-edge owners protect their banks (Lee County Ord. 22-24).
Lee County's revetment rules give a benchmark for repairs:
When we inspect, we compare your slope to these standards, since future permits may be reviewed against them.
| When | What to check |
|---|---|
| Before hurricane season | Full walk; reset stone; fabric repairs |
| After any named storm | Displaced armor, scour, end washouts |
| After heavy freshwater releases | Toe scour from stronger river flow |
| Annually | Slope, plantings, transitions |
Storm checks matter on this coast. Ian put the Punta Rassa sensor at 8.37 feet above normal high tide and the downtown Fort Myers gauge at 7.26 feet in 2022, and Milton pushed the city gauge to 5.27 feet in 2024 (NHC Milton report).
The Caloosahatchee was deepened, widened, and connected to Lake Okeechobee, and water released from the lake passes through a series of locks. The W.P. Franklin Lock is where the freshwater river meets the tidal estuary. Changes in those flows shift both current and salinity downstream. For a revetment, that means the toe can see stronger current at some times of year than others, and plantings have to tolerate changing salinity. We look closely at the toe and the vegetation on every river visit, and we note seasonal conditions in your report so later inspections can be compared fairly.
Routine upkeep in Fort Myers typically costs $1,500–$5,000 per year for a standard 100-foot residential revetment. Major rehabilitation runs $150–$400 per linear foot.
For rock in front of a wall, see riprap installation in Fort Myers. For whole-waterfront care, see shoreline maintenance in Fort Myers. Our hurricane season seawall prep guide covers storm prep. We also maintain revetments in Cape Coral and Naples. See the Fort Myers seawall repair hub.
Not in unincorporated Lee County, where new seawalls aren't allowed on natural waterbodies. Maintaining the revetment is usually the path.
If they were a permit condition, likely yes. We can assess and plan replanting as part of maintenance.
At least yearly and after every named storm. River current and surge both move stone.
Lee County requires a permit to repair or replace structures, though the director can exempt minor repairs. We confirm first.
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