Improving geospatial coastal vulnerability indices for the Great Lakes

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-28-2025

Department

Department of Social Sciences; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences; Great Lakes Research Center

Abstract

In response to record-high water levels in the Great Lakes, there has been a notable surge in engineering interventions and the construction of armoring structures to mitigate shoreline erosion. However, the efficacy of these defensive measures against erosion and their broader implications for the physical vulnerability of coastal communities remain critical concerns. Our pilot study applied the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) method to the Muskegon shoreline, enhancing it by calculating CVI values for individual parcels and integrating the shoreline rate of change and shoreline armaments. This approach localized variations and provided a precise understanding of factors influencing vulnerability. We found that using the shoreline rate of change allowed us to identify vulnerable areas prone to erosion due to dynamic shoreline processes and seasonal variations. In the study, seasonality significantly influenced vulnerability, particularly through ice cover, which aligns with findings on seasonal shoreline erosion risks from previous studies. It also underscores the importance of considering temporal dynamics in assessing coastal vulnerability in the Great Lakes region. We observed higher vulnerability in the northern and southern parts of the county's shoreline compared to the central areas. Sites near heavily armored properties exhibited increased vulnerability, highlighting the complex impacts of shoreline armors on adjacent areas. The developed CVI holds the promise of providing coastal managers with invaluable insights. Specifically, it guides the reclassification of high-vulnerability areas and informs the formulation of policies that address the multifaceted challenges associated with shoreline armoring.

Publisher's Statement

© 2025 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of International Association for Great Lakes Research.

Publication Title

Journal of Great Lakes Research

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