The leaves and stems provide surfaces on which crustaceans, aquatic insects and other food organisms attach and grow, and the plants' process of photosynthesis replenishes the water's vital oxygen supply. Built near erosion-prone shorelines in water four or five feet deep, these structures create quiet water near shore. Structures must be connected to the shore at intervals to exclude boats, and culverts must be included to allow fish passage. These structures are a better alternative for stabilizing eroding shorelines than simply dumping rock riprap. Aquatic vegetation should grow between the structures and the shore, allowing both shore-bound anglers and boat anglers access to productive fishing water.
Jetties also can serve as spawning habitat for walleyes.
They work well in oceans, but they must be tested to determine how well they withstand the pressures of Nebraska's winters. At the mouths of large coves, rock breakwater piers can be built from opposing shorelines, extending toward one another so that the opening between them is just wide enough to allow boat passage. These structures reduce wave action and shoreline erosion in the cove and provide anglers access to deep water. They, too, can enhance spawning habitat for walleyes. Stable water levels would increase the number of small fish that survive beyond their first year of life, increasing the number of catchable-size fish for the future.