FAQ — WUP Coastal Hazards

Look for signs of erosion around the waterfront close to your house, are there any trees that are tipping towards the water or cracks or ledges forming along the slope, this can indicate a risk, knowing the type of soil along the shore (soils with more sand/gravel are much weaker than ones containing clay/bedrock) and signs of springs on lake side slope of shore (can create greater slope vulnerability) can also help evaluate stability of a slope. Please refer to this document or other resources on our Homeowner Resources Page

Be on the lookout for signs of erosion (see last question). Although there are no current signs it has been known for 10’s of feet to be eroded in one large storm event for more susceptible areas. It’s better to be proactive about planning for coastal erosion that than reactionary once the land has already been washed away. See out homeowner resources page for more information.

There are not currently any routes for reporting erosion to inform these maps to be updated but these resources are currently being developed for the area which could include a reporting system in the future.

There are different strategies for protecting your property along the coastline. These can include adaptation to natural coastal processes, restoring natural defenses, moderating the effects of coastal processes, and armoring the shore if your situation calls for it. Resources can be found on our homeowner resource page.

While lake levels can create a baseline higher risk for years when the water level is high, this does not reduce risk of erosion to zero when levels are average or even lower. Local occurrences of storm surges or seishes can alter the local water level and when combined with large waves or intense rains still cause devastating damage regardless of the average current lake level.

Please see the StoryMap and Educator Resources in the Knowledge center of the website.

Photos from the flood are analyzed and used to double check the flood model that is being created through the Rural Hazards Resilience Tools project. Click here to learn more.

Is my home or property in danger of falling into the lake?

My home or property is in an area identified as vulnerable but not yet showing any indications of erosion. What should I do?

My home or property is not in an area identified as vulnerable, but I DO have erosion problems. How can I share my information to update the map?

What resources are available to help my home or property as erosion is starting to impact it?

Lake levels fluctuate from year to year, now that they have receded from record highs, why is this still a concern?

I’m a teacher and would like to cover information in my class. What resources do you have available for me to use? Also, do you have a list of what state teaching objectives (by grade level) that this would help me fulfill?

How are you taking into account information gathered during the 2018 flood in your erosion hazard identification map?

Coastal Hazards - FAQ