Highland Park, Ill., Seeks Permit to Combat Shoreline Erosion

Park district official from Highland Park, Ill., applied for a state permit to increase sand on Rosewood Beach in an effort to stem erosion of the park. Severe erosion damage was caused by a snowstorm in Nov. 2018 that created 18-ft-high waves, according to the park district.

Storms in the past year also have damaged a boardwalk near the Interpretive Center, a park district location at Rosewood Beach. The park district estimates that 1,800 cu yards of sand have been lost recently.

“Without the beach and rock breakwater structures that were engineered to withstand significant storms and absorb wave energy during periods of high water levels, the damage could have been significantly worse,” said Liz Gogola, director of communications and marketing for the park district.

According to The Chicago Tribune, John Keno & Co. constructed a temporary structure to protect the cove from erosion damage over the winter. The company constructed breakwaters and reconstructed the beach in 2014 and 2015 on behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

“Communities all along the Illinois Lake Michigan shoreline have been affected by beach erosion caused by storm damage concurrent with the high lake levels,” Gogola said.

The addition of new sand to protect Rosewood Beach infrastructure was suggested by the park district’s coastal engineering firm, SmithGroupJJR. However, the group also warned that new sand may be washed away if water levels remain high in 2019. Park district officials are now seeking permission from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Offices of Water Resources to add 12,000 cu yards of sand annually to Rosewood Beach, reported The Chicago Tribune. The district will also need permits from the Illinois EPA and USACE.

The project is estimated to cost between $68,000 and $82,000, and is scheduled for late May in order to avoid heavy spring rains.