Graduate students in Professor Melissa Scanlan’s course ”Water Consulting” at UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to develop actionable strategies for long-term resilience as climate change intensifies flooding and reshapes coastal landscapes along Wisconsin’s Great Lakes shorelines. The two student consulting teams focused on shoreline regulation and inland flooding. One team analyzed strategies for how Wisconsin might determine its 1848 shoreline boundaries, depending on the location, under a new law governing longstanding fill on Great Lakes lakebeds. The second team assessed the growing impacts of inland flooding, especially in underserved communities, and outlined how the WDNR can close insurance gaps and promote mitigation efforts. Their reports offer thorough assessments and provide data-driven recommendations to support the WDNR’s decision-making around permitting, planning, and public outreach.
Rising Waters, Rising Costs: Understanding Flood Risk, Insurance, & the Price of Inaction report here.
Great Lakes Shoreline Identification Analysis report here.
Read the full story here.
Citations:
McCormack, J., Armendariz, C., Ferrante, F., Grimm, E., Gruenloh, S. (2025). Rising Waters, Rising Costs: Understanding Flood Risk, Insurance, & the Price of Inaction. University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Publications
Modahl, E., Wroblewski, D., Vrobel, D., Al Obaidi, M. (2025). Great Lakes Shoreline Identification Analysis. University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Publications