Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Newsletter |
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Greetings from the Coastal Resilience Team! We apologize for the broken links in the Coastal Resilience Newsletter sent earlier this morning. Please find the correct links in this version. Thank you for your patience.
This month's newsletter contains:
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Announcement: New Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Website URL
- Lake Michigan Water Level Update
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Resource of the Month: WICCI 2021 Assessment Report: Wisconsin's Changing Climate
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Around the Great Lakes: New York State's Coastal Lakeshore Economy and Resiliency (CLEAR) Initiative
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Funding Opportunities:
- RAISE Grant
- National Coastal Resilience Fund
- Local Events:
- Green Bay Conservation Partners Round Table, April 20
- Lake Superior Collective 2022 Spring Symposium, April 27-29
- Benefit-Cost Analysis Webinar, March 31
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NEW Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Website URL |
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Based on feedback from Lake Michigan's coastal communities we have been working to improve accessibility of the Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience website. Additionally, due to continued coastal resilience efforts in the Lake Michigan region, the scope of the website has been expanded to include all of Wisconsin's Lake Michigan communities. As such, we are announcing a new website name and URL - Wisconsin Coastal Resilience!
While currently under construction behind the scenes, the website is active and accessible. We will continually develop case studies, blog posts, and find resources and funding opportunities to share. Continue to check the website for more content!
New website URL: https://wicoastalresilience.org/
Note that the old URL has been routed to take you to the updated site.
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February Water Level Update |
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Lake Michigan water levels have continued their seasonal decline this fall, decreasing by about 2 inches from January to February. Though Lake Michigan is now about 28 inches below the highest monthly water level recorded for February in 2020, the Lake is still about 9 inches above the long-term average water level. Water levels are expected to continue their seasonal decline through the early winter but remain above the long-term average.
Watch the USACE's "On the Level" YouTube channel for updates and information about the Great Lakes' water levels and forecasts.
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Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) - 2021 Assessment Report: Wisconsin's Changing Climate |
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The Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) has released their 2021 Assessment Report on Wisconsin’s Changing Climate. This report features new data since its last update in 2011. The report emphasizes the progression of climate change in individual sectors, and solutions to combat the change. The featured sectors include air, land, water, built environment, and people. The report is offered digitally and contains links to full interviews, stories, and working groups. These digital links offer easy access to additional information about topics and projects. This report emphasizes that Wisconsin can play a big role in reducing the impacts of climate change due to our vast natural lands that can store carbon.
The Coastal Resilience working group is featured within the Built-Environment sector. Climate change is impacting wave sizes, water levels, and storm surges which impact the slope stability of the bluffs along the Great Lakes. The report offers potential solutions than can be enacted by city planners, resource managers, and residents.
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New York State's Coastal Lakeshore Economy and Resilience (CLEAR) Initiative |
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CLEAR was created to help communities in New York State manage the impacts of rising water levels of Lake Ontario, the lower Niagara River, and the upper St. Lawrence River. CLEAR has a direct set of goals found on their webpage. These goals include creating resilient communities, rebuilding with the coastal environment in mind, educating shoreline property owners, improving coastal recreation and economies, and empowering local governments, organizations, and leaders. CLEAR plans to include community stakeholders in the development of long-term plans for coastal resilience. Outreach will include workshops and community events to educate communities on erosion and flood risks, while addressing solutions in green infrastructure. Read more about the CLEAR initiative by clicking the button below. |
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The U.S. Department of Transportation has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for $1.5 billion in grant funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program (formerly known as TIGER or BUILD). RAISE grants can be used for a wide variety of capital or planning infrastructure projects including port and stormwater infrastructure. Applicants are encouraged to consider how their projects can address climate change, ensure racial equity, and remove barriers to opportunity. Projects will be evaluated on statutory criteria of safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness and opportunity, state of good repair, partnership and innovation. RAISE can provide funding to any public entity, including municipalities, counties, port authorities, tribal governments, MPOs, or others.
The application deadline is April 14, 2022.
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National Coastal Resilience Fund |
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The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has announced their 2022 National Coastal Resilience Fund Request for Proposals. NFWF will make investments in planning, design, and restoration of natural and nature-based solutions to help protect coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, and other natural hazards and enable them to recover more quickly and enhance habitats for fish and wildlife.
Program Priorities:
- Nature-Based Solutions
- Coastal Resilience Benefit
- Fish and Wildlife Benefit
- Community Impact & Engagement
- Innovation, Transferability, and Sustainability
Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, state and territorial government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal governments and organizations, educational institutions, or commercial (for-profit) organizations.
Pre-proposal webinar: Wednesday, March 30, 2022 @ 3:00 - 4:30pm ET
Pre-proposal due date: Thursday April 21, 2022 by 11:59pm ET
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Great Lakes Observing System 2022 Request for Proposals
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The Great Lakes Observing System announced a request for proposal (RFP) intended to expand and improve the Great Lakes year-round observing network. This is to address one of the biggest observing challenges we have today: monitoring capacity in the lakes largely disappearing in the cold months due to hazardous conditions for crews and equipment.
This RFP aims to support the development and deployment of technologies that can provide over-winter data to help advance our understanding of winter’s effects on the lakes.
Proposals due date: April 22, 2022
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Green Bay Conservation Partners Round Table |
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Register for the Green Bay Conservation Partners Round Table meeting on April 20th, 2022 from 9:00am - 11:30am CST. This meeting is virtual, so feel free to register regardless of your location.
The Green Bay Conservation Partners is a regional conservation partnership dedicated to the conservation of the Green Bay Watershed. The Round Table meeting offers a chance to network and learn about restoration, monitoring and conservation practices being implemented around the area. There will be lighting talks and student posters to learn more about these projects.
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Register for the Lake Superior Collaborative Spring Symposium on April 27, 2022 - April 29, 2022.
The Lake Superior Collaborative Spring symposium offers an opportunity to network and learn about conservation, restoration, and climate-adaptive projects going on in the Lake Superior Basin. There will also be opportunities for collaboration and future planning.
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Benefit-Cost Analysis 101 Webinar |
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FEMA is hosting a benefit-cost analysis webinar on Thursday, March 31, 2022 from 1:30:00 PM CDT - 3:00:00 PM CDT. FEMA plans on discussing the fundamentals of benefit-cost analysis, information and documentation requirements, and best practices for completing an analysis using their Benefit-Cost Analysis Toolkit. Benefit-cost analysis is an application requirement for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
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If you have any questions about Lake Michigan coastal hazards or how to approach, plan, and prepare for them, please contact
Adam Bechle
608-263-5133
For more information, visit the Southeast Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Project website or the Northeast Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Study portal
Follow us on Twitter @sewiresilience for updates
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University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute | (608) 262-0905 | 1975 Willow Drive, 2nd Floor, Madison, WI 53706
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