Survey Of Littoral Drift Sand Deposits Along The Illinois Shore Of Lake Michigan From Fort Sheridan To Evanston

Profiles of beach and lake bottom sand deposits were measured in 1989 on the Illinois shore of Lake Michigan from Fort Sheridan to Evanston, and the data were compared to earlier observations. Results show greatly depleted deposits of very fine sand veneering glacial clay tills. In many areas the sand veneer has been lost entirely, exposing the underlying clay to the erosive forces of storm waves. Planners of coastal shore protection and development projects must recognize the sediment starved nature of the Illinois lakeshore and look for ways to cope with potentially high rates of lakebed erosion. Also, if lake bed erosion rates are high, conventional shore armor may be at greater risk than previously thought. Grant no. COMM-NA89AA-D-SG 058