Shorelines are adversely impacted by severe erosion due to chronic wave action, often remaining unvegetated, resulting in bare substrate, receding banks, reduced water quality, siltation, and limited flora and fauna habitat. Erosion degrades water quality, fills impoundments with sediment, and limits habitat for flora and fauna. Reservoirs often suffer from erosion due to relatively steep slopes compared to natural lakes, lack of shoreline vegetation, and saturation of formerly upland soils. Erosion produces vertical banks and gently sloping, shallow, underwater shelves. Kinkaid Lake, a 1,100 ha (2,700 ac) reservoir in southern Illinois, has experienced extensive erosion since its construction in 1969, producing bank heights up to 6 m (20 ft) and bank recession up to 1 m (3 ft) per year. Historically, limestone aggregate riprap placed directly at the water-bank interface was used to stabilize the shorelines. However, riprap does not contribute habitat for many wildlife or plant species. To address erosion and habitat on Kinkaid Lake, various agencies and individuals collaborated to develop offshore breakwaters constructed from riprap. In 1999, 2001, and 2003 a total of 2,000 m (6,700 ft) of riprap breakwaters were installed an average of 6 m (20 ft, range: 3 m [10 ft] to 12 m [40 ft]) from shorelines around points and islands throughout the lake. By 2004-2005, breakwater protected shorelines had become depositional, while many unprotected banks continued to erode at ∼1 m (3 ft) per year. The breakwaters not only reduced erosion, but also promoted establishment of a natural vegetation community with associated wildlife. A total of 121 plant species had naturally colonized breakwater protected sites, while only 12 were observed at unprotected sites. Also, protected shorelines supported 4-8 times greater vegetation coverage than unprotected sites. As a result, 49 macroinvertebrates, 10 fish, 13 herpetofauna, 13 birds, and 9 mammals were observed using breakwater protected shorelines. Overall, the offshore breakwaters reduced erosion, stabilized the banks, and allowed colonization of vegetation and wildlife in the previously unstable environment.