Artificial reefs could offer a ‘softer’ flood management and erosion solution that doesn’t disrupt the flow of sediment.

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.
FULL STORY: Artificial Reefs Can Mitigate Coastal Erosion in the Great Lakes. Will Cities Agree to Adopt Them?

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

LA’s Tree Emergency Goes Beyond Vandalism
After a vandal destroyed dozens of downtown LA trees, Mayor Karen Bass vowed to replace them. Days later, she slashed the city’s tree budget.

Sacramento Leads Nation With Bus-Mounted Bike Lane Enforcement Cameras
The city is the first to use its bus-mounted traffic enforcement system to cite drivers who park or drive in bike lanes.

Seattle Voters Approve Social Housing Referendum
Voters approved a corporate tax to fund the city’s housing authority despite an opposition campaign funded by Amazon and Microsoft.
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