Lake shore erosion

It is easy to mistake the Great Lakes as stable and calm - they are just lakes and immune from sea level rise.  But, residents of the Upper Midwest know that are more like incredibly active and dangerous inland seas, home to dramatic storms and fabled shipwrecks, and subject to damaging changes in levels.

The current changes in levels are making a visible impact along the Lake Michigan's shore in Indiana. Over the weekend, the Indianapolis Star published a serious, in-depth look at the issues and problems involved in this complicated environmental change.

First, the 2,000 word feature sets the stage by reminding us that this is a serious force of nature. They focus on a road near the lake that is getting severely undercut:"Lake Michigan is at near record levels,15 inches above this time last year. Its waves, which can top 20 feet during storms, are now chewing away at the earth underneath the road."


Then it talks about several different communities, illustrated with useful photos and videos. For our environmental planning class this is helpful in pointing out how the fractured nature of the jurisdictional landscape.

And it argues that this isn't just a local problem. That shoreline is home to America's newest National Park: Indiana Dunes NP. And that makes it all a problem that belongs to all of us. But the neighbors aren't so happy, since the National Park (and the US Army Corps of Engineers) oppose letting some parts of these communities use intensive built structures to fight back against nature. (I am sure there is more to it, but you get the idea)

If you think lakeshore erosion isn't a serious thing, just watch the waves in this video.