Indiana town residents, environmentalists clash over sand erosion

Residents of Ogden Dunes, a small town in Indiana, are facing severe erosion of their lakefront properties due to various factors, including the presence of an international port that obstructs the natural flow of sand to the shore, high waters and heavy storms.

To protect their homes from the encroaching waters, many residents are seeking permits to build revetments, stone retaining walls that break the waves, the Chicago Tribune reports.

However, environmentalists are opposing the structures, citing their potential long-term effects  on Lake Michigan’s shoreline.

Environmentalists are relying on the public trust doctrine, a legal principle that requires governments to preserve certain natural resources for public benefit, in an ongoing administrative battle to prevent the construction of a new revetment.

They argue that the revetments would not only hinder the natural flow of sand but also encroach on public beach access and harm the habitats of Indiana Dunes National Park. Save the Dunes, an environmental organization, has appealed against Ogden Dunes’ latest revetment project, urging the state to prioritize the public interest over private property owners.

“You have the interests of a few beachfront landowners versus that broader public interest,” Kim Ferraro, an attorney with the Conservation Law Center that represents an environmental group Save the Dunes, told the outlet. And in our view, the public interest must prevail here, not only as a matter of law, but for future generations and for the sake of Lake Michigan.”

The town’s residents, on the other hand, argue that revetments are necessary for their immediate protection, especially with recent high water levels. They have already built an emergency revetment in front of 32 homes, bringing some relief to affected homeowners, though at a cost of $5.5 million to them.

However, experts warn that revetments are not a long-term solution and can have detrimental effects on the lake’s natural processes, exacerbating erosion in neighboring areas.

Save the Dunes is currently fighting a plan to construct a 3,000-foot-long, 10-foot-wide revetment that would protect 34 additional homes, the outlet said.

Beach nourishment, a process of manually adding sand to the beach, is suggested as a more environmentally friendly alternative. However, this solution is slow and costly, and the town lacks the resources to undertake such a project without state and federal support. Despite previous plans and recommendations for beach nourishment, the government has yet to coordinate efforts to assist Ogden Dunes.

As climate change worsens erosion and causes more fluctuating water levels in Lake Michigan, experts emphasize the need for a holistic approach to address the shoreline’s challenges. While some residents view Ogden Dunes as a victim, environmentalists argue that shoreline hardening should not come at the expense of public interests, including the preservation of Indiana’s iconic sand dunes and beach access for all Hoosiers.

Save the Dunes’ appeal is currently under review by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ oversight committee.

At least some Ogden Dunes residents are disappointed with the 

“Politicians just love to pass the buck and say, ‘Hey, look at this agreement, the state’s responsible.’ Then, the state’s like ‘Wow, you know, you can read that two different ways, the Army Corps is responsible.’ And, really we’re caught in between big governmental forces,” Steve Coombs, who owns a lakefront home in town, told the outlet..

— Ted Glanzer