OGL Coastal Note: Northwest Michigan's Coastal Towns Get Prepared

Northwest Michigan’s Coastal Towns Get Prepared
New tools and data promote coastal resiliency measures

Michigan’s Great Lakes communities share a way of life shaped by an incredible freshwater coast and unique dune landscape found nowhere else in the world.

With the beauty of these special places also lies the risk of flooding, erosion, dramatic lake level changes, and even Great Lakes 'tsunamis.' These threaten people’s homes and livelihoods. Solutions are available to protect communities and create resiliency- the ability to absorb and “bounce back” after disasters.

To get this information to local leaders in Northwest Michigan’s coastal towns, Networks Northwest, a regional planning group, worked with the Coastal Management Program. Together, they provided resiliency tools for preparation and risk management. 

The partnership produced a guidebook titled Planning for Coastal Resiliency in Northwest Michigan’s Dunes. The guide contains tools like sample zoning, case studies, and best practices. The process involved extensive digital mapping of the coast by MNFI, providing never-before-seen data on the region’s geography. Historic coastal information only available before on printed maps was included. It revealed high-risk areas, assets, and natural features. It was compiled into a publicly available digital atlas.

The information will be used by local governments to manage Great Lakes risks and protect dunes and beaches.

Discover how the Coastal Management Program in the Office of the Great Lakes works to protect and preserve Michigan’s coastal way of life at www.michigan.gov/coastalmangement. For more information, contact Program Manager Ronda Wuycheck at wuychecker@michigan.gov.

Michigan’s Coastal Management Program is funded in part by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which supports a nationwide network of programs protecting America’s fresh and saltwater coasts.

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