Eroding Shores: Southwest Michiganâs Battle Against Coastal Erosion
In the heart of Southwest Michigan, a quiet crisis is unfolding along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Each year, residents watch helplessly as more of their beaches and backyards vanishâswallowed by the relentless force of erosion. What was once a slow creep has become a dramatic retreat, with some areas losing as much as 75 feet of shoreline in just four years.
A Landscape Under Siege
The average erosion rate in Southwest Michigan is over a foot per year, but recent years have seen accelerated losses. In places like Mount Pleasant and Miami Park, the signs are unmistakable: broken beach access stairs, steep drops, and inaccessible shores. The erosion is not just a natural occurrenceâitâs a symptom of changing climate patterns, intensified rainfall, and rising lake levels.
John Yellich, retired head of the Michigan Geological Survey, spearheaded the first erosion research in the region in nearly a decade. His efforts brought together geologists and geography experts from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin to study the causes and consequences of this environmental threat.
Voices from the Frontline
Residents like Victoria Turbov and John Barkley have witnessed the devastation firsthand. Barkley, a former Navy pilot, described moments of panic as boardwalks and drainage systems collapsed into the lake. Turbov, who has summered in the area for over 70 years, emphasized the emotional and environmental value of the land: âThis is very precious to us.â
Their community has responded with action. From reshaping bluffs and planting deep-rooted vegetation to installing water management systems and reinforcing beaches with rocks, locals are fighting to preserve their homes and heritage.
Climate Change: The Invisible Catalyst
Experts agree that climate change is exacerbating the erosion. Increased rainfall, droughts, and runoff are accelerating the degradation of coastlines. âThese are dramatic changes, not slow,â Yellich noted. Yet, despite the urgency, local and national EPA offices are not currently addressing erosion directly.
A Call to Action
The erosion in Southwest Michigan is more than a local issueâitâs a warning. With an estimated $500 million in annual property loss due to coastal erosion across the U.S., the stakes are high. As Turbov put it, âWe need to protect this place and other places and, you know, our environment in general.â
Doing nothing is no longer an option. The landscapes we cherish are disappearing, and the time to act is now.
Source: MSN, Michigan Geological Survey
