Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2018IL502S

Evaluation of the Application of Structure from Motion Topographic Surveys for Monitoring of Nearshore Placement in Southern Lake Michigan

Institute: Illinois
USGS Grant Number: G18AP00095
Year Established: 2018 Start Date: 2018-01-01 End Date: 2019-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $49,900 Total Non-Federal Funds: Not available

Principal Investigators: Ethan Theuerkauf

Project Summary: Dredged sand material is often placed in the nearshore with the intent that the material will nourish adjacent beaches through littoral processes. However, the fate of this material is often not tracked and the sediment transport dynamics associated with nearshore placement remain understudied. Quantification of sediment transport rates, beach and nearshore geomorphic changes associated with nearshore placement, and the physical processes driving these changes are necessary to model the effectiveness of sand placement. Along Western Lake Michigan, nearshore sand placement is a common practice when harbor dredging occurs and could be an important component of a long-term regional sediment management strategy. No studies have been conducted along the Illinois Coast to quantify the effectiveness of nearshore placement on beach geomorphic change. This study will quantify the impacts of nearshore sand placement on beach and nearshore geomorphic change across time-scales ranging from weeks to months.