The Riprap Isn't Riffraff

The rusty, dilapidated cars sometimes seen piled up against riverbanks are not just eyesores; they are also a form of erosion control. And they have a name: Detroit Riprap, according to the website Amusing Planet.

These hunks of metal are remnants of a time when rivers were less regulated and self-reliant people were trying to figure out how to battle the escalating problem of erosion.

The riprap comes from an erosion control experiment in the 1950s, when cars were taken from wrecking yards and dumped into the river with the hope of stabilizing the eroding bank. The cars would have their engines and other innards removed by cutting torches and hauled down the streets to their destination. Once in the water, if the cars held, they became a sturdy part of the bank, resisting the river’s strength in ways soil could not.

The practice is now rare because it is not environmentally friendly, but you can still see these cars in Montana, the Midwest and other parts of the U.S. Click here to see pictures from the Amusing Planet’s website.

Source: Amusing Planet