IDNR Coastal Management Program 

Continuing to Plan for a More Resilient Shoreline

Last month’s feature story discussed January’s storms and the highlighted need for coastal resiliency measures. It also introduced that our office had been working closely with other Great Lakes states and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to support the creation of a Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study. Unfortunately, the USACE 2020 workplan was introduced in February and omitted funding for this project. Although this study will be on hold for at least another year, our program remains committed to supporting the development of a more resilient shoreline. We’re looking into other ways by which we can collect data to understand existing and future conditions that threaten our shoreline, develop adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable resources, and policy and financing tools that could facilitate sustainable shoreline management.

We’re also excited about current efforts like the offshore rubble ridge project at Illinois Beach State Park, currently in the permitting stage with anticipated implementation this summer. This pilot project, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, is designed to accommodate changing lake levels and protect critical habitat. This is an example of an innovative, lower-cost, more rapid-response intervention to improve resilience of important ecological areas from the rampant erosion caused by high lake levels. The project will be monitored for performance as well as aquatic habitat value, and we hope the design performs as expected. If so, this type of design could be utilized at other locations, providing a lower-cost, lower-profile alternative to other traditional structures.

While the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study is on hold, there are a number of other opportunities that Illinois coastal communities could take advantage of for resilience planning. On March 4, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with NOAA, released a request for proposals under the FY 2020 National Coastal Resilience Fund. The request is for projects that restore, increase, and strengthen natural infrastructure — the landscapes that help absorb the impacts of storms and floods — to ultimately protect coastal communities and enhance fish and wildlife habitat. See our funding opportunities section for more information about this and other opportunities for long term shoreline resilience. We look forward to working with you all on some of these efforts!

Thank you for your input!
In December, we invited over 800 stakeholders to provide input on prioritizing program enhancement areas as a part of our 309 Assessment with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Survey input identified Coastal Hazards – notably coastal hazards related to local climate change impacts – as the top priority for us to pursue through program enhancements. Comments included many specific issues of concern, including shoreline erosion, coastal flooding, fluctuating lake levels, beach and habitat loss, public access, and community adaptation and resilience. As the next phase of the assessment, we’re currently working on developing program strategies that will address coastal hazards over the next five years. Thank you again for your interest and participation, and keep an eye out for upcoming public comment period later this spring!

Glencoe Water Safety Program Wins Statewide Award
The Glencoe Park District has been selected for the “Outstanding Program & Special Event Award” for its Beach S.A.F.E. program!

Following the deadliest year on the Great Lakes, the Glencoe Park District launched Beach S.A.F.E. (Sailing & Aquatics for Everyone) in July to introduce water safety in a fun and informative year. “A large number of children in the Chicagoland community never learn basic water safety skills nor have the opportunity to enjoy on-water recreational activities. We designed Beach S.A.F.E. as an outreach program for vulnerable populations to learn safety skills and experience Lake Michigan recreation activities, as well as do our part to reduce drownings,” said Matt Walker, Glencoe Beach Facility Manager. Beach S.A.F.E. is a public/private partnership co-sponsored by the Glencoe Park District and Glencoe Rotary that taught kids from 3 non-profit/municipal organizations in 2019: Waukegan Park District, Union League Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, and Marillac Social Center.