This research project examines the link between fluctuating Great Lakes water levels and coastal storm damage. Building upon this work, researchers have assembled and analyzed data on climate, water and wave conditions collected from 1987 to 1997 by automated wave measurement buoys deployed in the Great Lakes. Analysis of time variability in average annual monthly directional wind and wave climates has indicated a shift in climate in the late 1970s. Researchers also correlated wave energy data with shoreline erosion information.
Findings indicate a shift in wave climate on impact of large harbor structures in Lake Michigan.
This research project dovetails with several ongoing projects in the UM Ocean Engineering Laboratory concerning coastal erosion, including the effects of harbor structures on nearshore morphology and long-term profile change in the Great Lakes. As a result, the preliminary research results have been provided to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Potential Damages Study and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Shorelands Management Division to aid in management of coastal resources. The results have influenced federal policy regarding large navigational structure erosion mitigation practices. In addition, researchers in the Ohio area have expressed interest in extending this research to include a similar study for Lake Erie. Project researchers were interviewed on National Public Radio's Science Friday and also on Chicago's WGN radio.