Coastal Resilience Newsletter

Greetings from the Coastal Resilience Team!

This month's newsletter contains:

Lake Michigan Water Level Update
Blog: Wandsnider Joins the Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Team
Resource of the Month: Green Infrastructure Code Audit Workbook
Community Story: Exploring Funding Options for Shore Protection
BRIC Summer Engagement Series: Learn about FEMA's new pre-disaster mitigation grant program

June Water Level Update

The water levels on all the Great Lakes still remain above their long-term monthly averages as of June 2020. Lake Michigan surpassed its record-high monthly mean for May previously set in 1986. This is the fifth monthly record set for Lake Michigan in our recent period of high water levels. Lake Michigan water levels increased by about five inches from April to May. Lake Michigan has resumed its seasonal rise and is expected to continue to rise through July.

Here are five things to know about water levels on Lake Michigan for June 2020.

Go to full update

Wandsnider Joins the Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Team

Please welcome Kayla Wandsnider to the Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Team as a project assistant! She officially started with the WI Sea Grant Institute in the Fall of 2019 working on Green Infrastructure (GI) in Green Bay. She is a double master’s candidate in the Urban and Regional Planning (Dec. 2020) and Water Resource Management (May 2021) programs. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in Environmental Studies and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and a GIS certificate from the University of Denver. Kayla will be splitting her time 50-50 with the SE WI Coastal Resilience project and the Green Infrastructure program.

Go to full blog

Resource of the Month

Green Infrastructure Code Audit Workbook

The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Tackling Barriers to Green Infrastructure: An Audit of Municipal Codes and Ordinances is a tool for municipalities to use in order to identify codes and ordinances that hinder green infrastructure (GI) placement. GI involves the use of living infrastructure and impervious surfaces (trees, rain gardens, porous pavement, green roofs, etc.) to manage many issues including flooding, stormwater runoff, coastal erosion, the urban heat island effect, and CO2/particulate pollution among others. However, many communities still have antiquated regulations that don’t allow for GI practices to be implemented. “Barriers to GI can vary widely within the code language, including specific rights, specific prohibitions, partial limits and practices mentioned with no guidelines for implementation or maintenance.” This workbook is designed to help communities identify outdated, unclear, or prohibitive regulations and suggest language to modify them in order to allow for more GI friendly codes and ordinances.

Key strategies for mitigating runoff with greater implementation of green infrastructure in local codes and corresponding common barriers. Courtesy of Juli Beth Hinds, Orion Planning and Design.

Coastal Resilience Stories from Around the Great Lakes

Exploring Funding Options for Shore Protection

As a result of rising Lake Michigan water levels, Ogden Dunes, IN is looking for a way to pay for emergency repairs of the town’s sea walls. There are short-term and long-term funding opportunities that are available to them. Immediate funds can potentially be obtained by tax-deductible donations from residents. Another option is borrowing money in general obligation funds. However, the most likely short-term funding is to create a redevelopment commission and redevelopment authority. Longer-term finances may possibly be secured by setting up a conservancy district or seeking a voluntary referendum.

Ogden Dunes seawall battered by waves. Photo Credit- NW Indiana Times

Ogden Dunes seawall battered by waves. Photo Credit: Northwest Indiana Times

FEMA's BRIC Summer Engagement Series

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) is is FEMA's new pre-disaster hazard mitigation grant program that replaces the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program . The BRIC Summer Engagement Series will bring FEMA Subject Matter Experts and partners together every Wednesday afternoon in July to discuss key elements of the newly developed BRIC program. These virtual sessions are geared towards leaders in states, local communities, tribes and territories, as well as private sector entities, private non-profit organizations, and individuals interested in learning more about the grant program.

Each Wednesday in July from 1-2 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT), FEMA will host an engagement session. Learn more or register for the BRIC Summer Engagement Series.

Week 1: Introduction to Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program

When: July 1, 2020 from 2:00 PM EDT- 3:00 PM EDT

Week 2: Meaning of the BRIC Name

When: July 8, 2020 from 2:00 PM EDT- 3:00 PM EDT

Week 3: BRIC and Building Codes

When: July 15, 2020 from 2:00 PM EDT - 3:00 PM EDT

Week 4: BRIC and Community Lifelines

When: July 22, 2020 from 2:00 PM EDT - 3:00 PM EDT

Week 5: BRIC and Nature-Based Solutions

When: July 29, 2020 from 2:00 PM EDT - 3:00 PM EDT

If you have any questions about Lake Michigan coastal hazards or how to approach, 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