Sheboygan Mayor: Climate change worsening threats to city infrastructure
Mayor Ryan Sorenson blames climate change for bluff erosion
SHEBOYGAN — The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, has launched a new round of shoreline resilience projects aimed at addressing erosion, flooding, and storm-related damage along the Great Lakes.
Sheboygan is one of five cities selected for the program.
On the city’s north side, the Northern Bluffs Shoreline Stabilization Project will investigate solutions to address bluff erosion, stormwater runoff, and degraded protective structures along a four-mile stretch. “It’s critical that we take action to safeguard this section of our Lake Michigan shoreline before it’s too late,” said Mayor Ryan Sorenson. “Climate change is only worsening threats to city infrastructure, homes and community amenities in this area.” Proposed approaches include bluff toe protection, beach nourishment, and expanded public access trails.
The preliminary design project is supported by federal funding and marks the next phase in the Cities Initiative’s ongoing Resilient Coastal Projects Initiative (RCPI). “This project will develop sustainable solutions to protect the most vulnerable stretch of our shoreline,” added Sorenson.
Other cities participating in the program include Waukegan in Illinois, Grand Marais in Minnesota, Toledo in Ohio and Dunkirk in New York.
Northern Bluffs
Northern Bluffs is the name of a stretch of shoreline from Vollrath Boulevard to Pigeon River in Sheboygan. It consists of steep cliff slopes with a small beach at lake level. The bluffs are mostly vegetated and many of the homes are only yards back from the steep cliff edge. Typical to the Great Lakes, these bluffs face erosion from both Lake Michigan but also from runoff on the top side.
During high wave events, the toe of the bluffs can be exposed to wave action where it erodes and results in collapse of the bluff face. This is an ongoing problem according to the Department of Public Works. Further, due to the location of houses and other infrastructure on the top side of the bluff, rain and melting snow lead to gullying and other erosion mechanisms which increase the risk to the retreating bluff face.
City’s fight with erosion
This is not the first time the City of Sheboygan has fought erosion along the lake.
In 1972, the Common Council took the first steps to protect the shoreline. Due to high waves and record high lake levels that year, the bluff along North 3rd Street near Blackstock Avenue began to crumble. The Common Council took emergency action to spend $25,000 to have 4,000 tons of broken rock placed to prevent further damage. The city ended up spending $100,000 for additional protection. The work involved a gravel road being constructed along the shoreline at Northeast Park.
Work was completed on that project in 1973. Later that same year, work began on a quiet, tucked-away effort along the lake between High Avenue and Wilson Avenue. Just like Northern Bluffs, the south side project involved constructing a gravel road which acts as buffer to this day. Both projects ended up costing $650,000.
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This Mayor is as stupid as all the other Liberals. Climate Change what a joke. It's called weather. Nothing new. Been around forever.