Large concrete jersey barriers started lining portions of several Chicago area beaches in early September due to record high Lake Michigan water levels. In Edgewater and Rogers Park, the walls went up at Juneway Beach, Rogers Beach, Howard Beach, and Granville Street to prepare for possible storms that could create heavy damage in communities along the shoreline.

After rising 15 inches in the past year, Lake Michigan water levels are officially up six feet since 2013. According to forecasters, Chicago will likely see water levels at the end of this year that are 11 inches higher than January 2019. The area has not seen Lake Michigan this high since 1986 when there was significant damage to both Lake Shore Drive and Sheridan Road after heavy storms.

With a growing number of residents concerned with impending storms that could harshly impact the North Side of Chicago, Edgewater’s Alderman Harry Osterman and Roger Park’s Alderwoman Maria Hadden have come together to organize a community town hall meeting about the impacts of the rising lake levels.

“The last time the lake levels were as high as they are now, a storm created some dangerous conditions on Sheridan Road,” said Ald. Osterman in an email. “It is my hope that we can be proactive and prepared this time around to protect our infrastructure, private property, and our neighbors.”

The Lake Levels Town Hall Meeting will be held this Monday, October 21, 6:30pm at Loyola University’s Galvin Hall (6339 N. Sheridan ). The event is open to the public and will include representatives from the US Army Corps of Engingeers, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Chicago Park District, Chicago Department of Transportation, and Chicago Department of Planning and Development. After the presentations, attendees will be able to ask questions concerning the topic.

If you have further questions about the meeting, email Ald. Osterman’s office at harry@48thward.org.