Chicago-area shorelines are shrinking, experts say, and it’s causing problems for waterfront communities.
Experts say the sand loss is due mostly to man-made structures that poke out along the lakefront, disrupting natural sand drift.
In Lake Bluff, the city trucks in 500 to 750 tons of sand at a cost of up to $20,000 per year for an expensive yet temporary fix.
“All we’re doing is just truck-loading an FA2 quarry sand and that has an opportunity to get washed away just like any other sand,” said Ron SAlski, executive director for the Lake Bluff Park District.
In Evanston, sand from their northern neighbors has drifted to their beaches. Still, high lake levels this summer completely submerged their dog beach.
Breakwalls can help in certain areas, but can exacerbate erosion further down the line. Officials say it’s time for a united approach, rather than a patchwork of bandaids.
“It just takes a lot of planning and effort for everyone along the north shore to work together to figure out the right solution,” Salski said.
