Mapping Chicago's beach and nearshore sand distributions for effective management

Lake Michigan water levels fluctuate by as much as two metres over decadal time spans, altering how waves and currents interact with coastal sediments and lakefront infrastructure in ways not yet fully understood. Understanding sediment transport dynamics is foundational to effective coastal resilience planning. This article shares insights from an offshore sand assessment and beach topobathymetric monitoring study of the greater Chicago coast, a collaboration with the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Illinois Coastal Management Program.