Park District of Highland Park issued the following announcement on Nov. 18.
Crews completed the delivery and placement of sand at both the Nature and Swimming Coves. This week, the project team will begin removing the construction equipment the beach. The lake will continue flattening the newly placed material and creating a more stable slope. See illustration below (click to enlarge).
The Park District is working with Smith Group to analyze future lake level projections and long-term options to protect the beach. According to the United States Army Corp Research and Development Center (USRDC) Lake Michigan hit its highest level in July at 581.92 feet. The USRDC predicts the lake level will be at 580.94 feet in January – 10.3 inches higher than the level in January 2019. Over the course of the coming year, the lake could rise another 11 to 12 inches.
The high lake levels coupled with powerful early fall storms have caused major damage to beaches all along the north shore. The USRDC recorded 11.5-foot waves during the severe storm on October 31, 2019. The Park District’s quick action to implement the emergency sand nourishment project earlier this fall protected the Rosewood structures and parking lot from the devastating damage this storm, and others like it, could have caused.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Park District of Highland Park
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