Coastal Resilience Newsletter

Greetings from the Coastal Resilience Team!

This month's newsletter contains:

Lake Michigan Water Level Update
Blog: Relocating Threatened Buildings
Resource of the Month: Wisconsin Coastal Atlas
Community Story: Special Improvement Districts

May Water Level Update

The water levels on all the Great Lakes still remain above their long-term monthly averages as of May 2020. Lake Michigan surpassed its record-high monthly mean for April previously set in 1986. This is the fourth monthly record set for Lake Michigan in our recent period of high water levels. Lake Michigan water levels increased by about three inches from March to April. 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 May 2020.

Go to full update

Relocating Threatened Buildings

Erosion of Great Lakes shorelines and coastal bluff failure can put people and buildings at risk. Relocating a building threatened by erosion and bluff failure is one option a homeowner has to protect their home. In this blog, we discuss how moving a home can actually be a viable option for Great Lakes coastal property owners.

This blog discusses:

Benefits and challenges of moving a home
How relocation compares to other shore protection options
Additional resources for homeowners

Home in Sheboygan moved after a slump caused the bluff to drop several feet, leaving a vertical scarp feet away from the house. Left image: 2007 before moving. Right image: 2018 after moving

Credit: Wisconsin Coastal Management Program

Go to full blog

Resource of the Month

USACE Great Lakes High Water web page

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Great Lakes High Water Web Page is a repository of information compiled to help inform decision-making related to Great Lakes water levels as well as connect people to a variety of informational and planning resources. The web page features four key elements: an FAQ section, informational videos from different offices within USACE, a damage assessment survey, and links to additional resources. The web page is managed by the USACE’s Detroit District and serves as an additional platform that helps the Army Corps provide technical expertise and assistance during this time of high water around the Great Lakes.

Coastal Resilience Stories from Around the Great Lakes

Special Improvement Districts in Ohio

In 2018, bipartisan legislation was introduced that would allow the formation of special improvement districts in Ohio in order to assist homeowners in addressing coastal erosion. Homeowners could sign a petition to form a special improvement district which would allow them to seek bonding to implement projects that would otherwise be too costly to pay for individually.

Fenced-off, erosion-damaged area of Willoughby's Osborne Park, OH

Photo Credit: News-Herald

In 2019, a group of mayors in Lake County, Ohio worked towards developing a shared special improvement district that would help property owners address erosion of Lake Erie's shoreline within their municipalities. From 2018-2019, Eastlake, one of the municipalities in Lake County lost up to 50 feet of shoreline in some places. North Perry, another municipality lost about 60 feet at their village hall. The special improvement district would build capacity for the homeowners in these municipalities to increase their property's resilience to erosion.

In Wisconsin, neighborhood improvement districts could be a path forward based on current instruments available in the state. You can read more about this option on page 24 in Adapting to a Changing Coast – Options and Resources for Local Officials in Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Communities .

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