Sea Grant is hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, June 15, from 5 – 7 p.m. at the American Legion Landt-Thiel Post #470, 601 W. Dekora St., Saukville. Members of the public are invited to participate as part of an ongoing study regarding changing Lake Michigan water levels and coastal bluff management. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m.
“We want to hear the hopes, wishes, concerns and issues involved in healthy and vital coasts and bluffs for our Lake Michigan coastal communities,” said David Hart, project lead from Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Southern Ozaukee and northern Milwaukee counties are characterized by 70-140-foot coastal bluffs that are vulnerable to physical forces, which could result in collapse. Given the rapid rise of Lake Michigan’s water levels—beginning in March 2014—following a long period of low water levels, the bluffs could be even more susceptible to failure due to erosion. Recent changes in state planning and zoning laws could also influence how bluffs are managed.
A diverse team coordinated by Sea Grant is conducting a process to review scientific data and gather public input about bluff management as part of an 18-month study. The result will be the identification and prioritization of a set policy alternatives by local governments and adaptive actions by coastal property owners that lead to more resilient bluffs, while maintaining healthy coasts.
The project is part of a broader study of Great Lakes water levels led by the Graham Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan. For more information on this project, visit http://graham.umich.edu/activity/32193
