Coastal Resilience Newsletter - Lake Michigan Near Record Water Level

July 2019

Greetings from the Coastal Resilience Team,

Welcome to the first Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience newsletter. We are starting a regular newsletter to connect you with information that can help plan and prepare for coastal hazards. These newsletters will include topics like:

Updates on Lake Michigan water level conditions
Articles on coastal processes and resilient practices
Links to educational and planning resources in our "Resource of the Month"
Stories of communities around the Great Lakes building their resilience to coastal hazards

You were sent this newsletter based on your past participation with the Coastal Resilience project and we hope you find it useful. If you do not want to receive this newsletter for any reason, click the "unsubscribe" link in the footer of this email.

If you have any questions about Lake Michigan coastal hazard issues or suggestions for future newsletter articles, please feel free to contact us.

Regards,

Adam Bechle and the rest of the Coastal Resilience Team

bechle@aqua.wisc.edu

608-263-5133

Water Levels At Record Highs

Currently Lake Michigan is 31 inches above its long-term average for July. This puts the lake about one inch below the July monthly record. In June, Lake Michigan came a half an inch short of setting a new record monthly mean water level for June. Our wet spring and summer are the main culprit behind the recent rise in water levels, with above-average precipitation across the Great Lakes watershed.

Learn more about the status and outlook for Lake Michigan water levels in our July 2019 Lake Michigan Water Level Update

Stormwater-Groundwater Connections to Bluff Stability

Managing stormwater and groundwater on coastal bluff properties is an important factor in maintaining a stable bluff. We spoke with Alan Lulloff, with the Association of State Floodplain Managers, about how stormwater and groundwater impact bluff stability and some ways to manage water on bluffs.

Some key practices to reduce the impact of stormwater and groundwater on bluff stability include:

Direct downspouts away from the bluff edge
Avoid constructing stormwater ponds & rain gardens near bluffs
Locate septic systems as far as possible from the bluff

Resource of the Month

NOAA Lake Level Viewer

The Lake Level Viewer is a web-based, interactive map used to help users visualize potential Great Lakes water level changes and impacts. Users can see the effect of different water levels on inundation of the coast and help pinpoint areas that may be subject to flooding. This tool was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is available online to use for free .

Inundation at present water levels

Inundation at water levels three feet higher than present (potential effect of a large storm surge)

Coastal Resilience Stories from Around the Great Lakes

New Buffalo Shoreline Alliance

The communities of Sunset Shores, Warwick Shores, Grand Beach and Forest Beach formed the New Buffalo Shoreline Alliance (NBSA) to address property damage and loss of coastal ecology due to severe beach erosion cause by high water levels on Lake Michigan. In partnership with the City of New Buffalo and the New Buffalo township, the NBSA submitted an application for a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant and a Great Lakes Fishery and Ecosystem Restoration Grant to help fund the installation of a series of submerged breakwaters. This project proposal includes an inter-jurisdictional effort that aims to restore the community's beaches, economy, and coastal habitat.

Shoreline near Warwick Shores Condominiums

Photo Credit: Harbor County News

Read the Whole Story

If you have any questions about Lake Michigan coastal hazards or approaches to plan and prepare for them, please contact

Adam Bechle

bechle@aqua.wisc.edu

608-263-5133

For more information, visit the Southeast Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Project website

University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute | (608) 262-0905 | 1975 Willow Drive, 2nd Floor, Madison, WI 53706