As Lake Michigan’s levels continue to rise to record highs and November is set to bring powerful storms, Loyola students are concerned about disappearing beaches and dangerous conditions.
This summer, Lake Michigan crested at its highest point in nearly three decades. A pattern of wetter springs and warmer winters brought about by climate change have created concerns about what a fuller lake will mean for Chicago.
For the lake to rise one inch it takes about 780 billion gallons of water. Since record-low lake levels in 2013, Lake Michigan has risen nearly six feet – over 56 trillion gallons. That’s enough water to fill over 53,000 football stadiums.
Even though Chicago is poised to deal with climate change better than other major cities, tangible effects are visible today. Across the city, walkways and beaches have been swallowed up by water. In Rogers Park, Juneway Terrace and Fargo beaches are no longer accessible and are blocked off by chain link fences. According to an article by The Loyola Phoenix, “with high water levels comes the potential for erosion, causing concerns among some residents.”
Loyola senior, Mary McDermott, has noticed changes from her own residence in Rogers Park. “When I’m at the beach by my apartment you can see the rising water cover the piers completely,” she said. “Even driving down Lake Shore Drive, the water has risen to the point that it covers the path and has even washed onto the road before.”
And the disappearing sand is perpetuating the problem. The Chicago Tribune reported as silt drifts further out, the lakebed becomes deeper and enables taller waves, intensifying erosion.
With these taller waves come safety concerns. Loyola senior Diana Raspanti lives near Pratt Beach where handicap railings had been installed. “Within the last couple months those have been washed away by waves,” she remarked. “To see those tangible effects is really scary.”
As the city moves further into the fall season, all of these issues will become exacerbated.
In an interview for the Tribune, David Bucaro, outreach manager at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District, warned that as November rolls around, caution must be taken. That time period “is when we really experience historically the most powerful coastal storms. That’s the conditions that we’re monitoring and are the most concerned with.”
“When I moved in I wasn’t aware of the ongoing issue,” said Loyola senior Philippe Alvarez. As a sophomore he lived in the dorm Santa Clara, situated on the edge of the lake. On windy days he says “I wouldn’t be able to walk next to the lake since the water and waves were so close. Looking at the lake after the fact was still enjoyable, but I was always met with a sense of worry about the future.”