On lakes across Minnesota, it’s common to see shorelines buffered with boulders, often stretching hundreds of feet across and several feet deep. These barricades of large rocks, known as riprap, are designed to keep soil from crumbling into the lake due to waves or high water. For many home or cabin owners, riprap also creates a neat, aesthetically pleasing shoreline, a status symbol for up-north lake life. But armoring lakeshores comes with an environmental cost. Story by Kirsti Marohn, video c

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