This blog shares tools and resources to help individuals understand risk from coastal hazards and options for addressing these hazards. Where do I start? Coastal hazards like erosion and flooding along Wisconsin’s Great Lakes coasts can be a threat to properties, particularly when water levels are high. Below is a list of available tools…
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This blog explains the conditions that cause evaporation to occur on the Great Lakes. Evaporation & Water Levels The summer heat and sun will cause some of the high water to evaporate from Lake Michigan, right? Actually, evaporation on the Great Lakes is driven by water temperature, not air temperature. Evaporation takes place…
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This blog describes how to public engagement can be used to establish a shared community vision. Public Engagement & the Wisconsin Shoreline of Lake Michigan Engaging the public on the issues facing Lake Michigan’s coastal bluffs can be as important as understanding why and how coastal processes such as erosion and flooding impact…
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The water levels on all of the Great Lakes are very high, with every lake at or above its record high monthly mean for July. Looking back at the month of June 2019, Lakes Superior, Erie, and Ontario all broke their record high monthly mean for June. Lake Michigan-Huron just barely missed setting a new…
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In this blog, Alan Lulloff (ASFPM) describes how stormwater and groundwater are connected, how they impact bluff stability, and the how management has changed over time. Stormwater/Groundwater Connections and Bluff Stability Managing stormwater and groundwater on coastal bluff properties is an important factor in maintaining a stable bluff. Spring weather brings increased runoff…
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On May 6th, 2019, the United States Army Corps of Engineers released its May 2019 six-month Great Lakes water levels forecast, available at this link, indicating that some of the Great Lakes are projected to eclipse record highs for the summer months. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Detroit District also issued a News…
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The water level of Lake Michigan as of April 26th, 2019 is at an elevation of 580.87 feet above sea level (from the International Great Lakes Datum). This puts Lake Michigan at 26 inches above the long-term average water level for the month of April, calculated from water levels measured from 1918 to 2018. From a historic perspective,…
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In this blog, Luke Zoet (UW-Madison Department of Geoscience) describes the mechanics of freeze-thaw cycling, what makes a bluff susceptible to failure this way, and what we can do about it. Frost Heave What Happens When Water in Your Bluff Freezes? In the last two months, Southeast Wisconsinites have endured temperatures below zero…
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Meeting summary for the SE WI Coastal Resilience Community of Practice meeting held in-person on January 18, 2019. Winter 2019 Coastal Resilience Community of Practice Meeting A winter meeting for the Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Community of Practice was held at Gateway Technical College in Racine, WI on January 18th , 2019. The…
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This blog describes the impact of lake ice on coastal erosion. Ice Ice Baby (What’s it Gonna Do to My Bluff?) The accelerated development of nearshore ice on Lake Michigan during the polar vortex made our team wonder, does nearshore ice contribute to or protect Southeastern Wisconsin’s coastal bluffs from erosion? We did…
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