Burrowing animals such as nutria and muskrats dig into the soft, wet soil along a shoreline, and when they tunnel behind a bulkhead or under riprap, water follows the burrow and washes the fill out. Over time that can leave a wall leaning or a bank caving in. The fix is two jobs: deal with the animals, then repair the wall and fill.
This is a general guide for shoreline owners on Lake Conroe and other East Texas lakes. Critter Gitters is based in Crockett and serves Houston County and nearby East Texas towns; see our service area to check your address.
Warning Signs Behind a Bulkhead
- Holes or tunnel openings at or just below the waterline.
- Soft or sunken soil behind the wall.
- Gaps opening where the bulkhead meets the bank.
- Riprap rocks shifting or settling.
- Worn paths through vegetation leading into the bank.
Why Burrows Do So Much Damage
A burrow is a channel for water. Waves and changing lake levels push water in and pull fill out, a little at a time, out of sight behind the wall. By the time a wall leans, the hollow behind it can be large. Older wood bulkheads that already take a beating from waves are the most at risk.
What Shoreline Owners Can Do
- Walk the shoreline after high water and storms and look for new holes.
- Keep brush and tall growth trimmed back from the wall so burrows are easy to see.
- Don’t fill a hole and walk away; if animals are still active, they dig a new one.
- Have a marine contractor check any wall that leans or has gaps, and ask whether your lake authority needs a permit for repairs.
Dealing With the Animals
Animal work comes before wall repair, or the new wall gets the same treatment. That’s the job of wildlife trapping and exclusion. Around docks, the same lakefront homes often have spiders and webs too; Critter Gitters de-webs and treats docks and is happy to treat boat houses.
Bulkhead FAQ
What animals burrow into bulkheads?
Nutria and muskrats are the usual diggers along lake banks.
Can I just fill the holes?
Only after the animals are gone. Filling active burrows just moves the digging.
Does Critter Gitters serve my area?
Critter Gitters is based in Crockett and serves Houston County and nearby East Texas towns. Check our service area, or call 936-261-7965 to ask about your address.
