What factors affect shoreline erosion?
• The major factors affecting long-term erosion rates include wave action, shoreline materials and structure, and long-term patterns of sediment transport along the shore. None of these primary factors are directly related to water level fluctuations. The lake level does, however, have an effect on where wave energy is dissipated on the beach or bluff profile and, consequently, affects shore erosion and bluff recession rates over short time periods. When water levels are high, wind-driven waves can trigger significant short-term erosion events that would otherwise occur later or more gradually. They may also direct wave energy against existing erosion protection structures, sometimes resulting in damage. Long-term recession rates appear to be independent of water level fluctuations for many Great Lakes shoreline areas. For other areas, water level fluctuations may play a role in determining long-term recession rates.
