Scientists Studying Artificial Reefs as Flood Mitigation in Great Lakes

Two pilot projects in Illinois are testing the potential of artificial reefs to reduce flooding risks in the Great Lakes, reports Lily Carey for Inside Climate News. The concept seeks to offer an alternative to concrete breakwaters and other flood mitigation tools that can exacerbate flood risk by compounding the effects of erosion.

Scientists managing the pilot projects plan to study how the reefs impact local shorelines and whether they could be a scalable solution for large lakes. According to researcher Hillary Glandon, “This project was hoping to come up with some softer designs, not necessarily fully stopping that movement of sand and water, but also a more cost effective design.”

As Carey explains, “Lake Michigan is already home to a handful of artificial reefs, most of which are located farther from shore as a habitat for marine life. Some researchers in the U.S., though, say these could serve the dual purpose of boosting fish populations and preventing erosion, disrupting waves so that they’re less intense when they crash ashore.”

Because the shores of Lake Michigan are lined with hundreds of private lots, shoreline management has often been a complicated project. “That makes artificial reefs particularly alluring in the Great Lakes—they’re a way to block wave energy without making erosion worse for neighbors, and they’re far cheaper than traditional infrastructure.” However, a lack of familiarity with nature-based interventions and a historical reliance on seawalls and breakwaters keep many residents wary of artificial reefs.