Public input sought on future Door Peninsula shoreline management

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Recent record high water levels on Lake Michigan and the Bay of Green Bay have prompted the DNR to take action regarding future coastline management on the Door Peninsula.

Between now and July 23rd, the agency is seeking public input on a comprehensive strategic analysis.

Spanning over 300 miles, the shoreline of the Door Peninsula has weathered quite a decade with both record high and record low water levels.

According to the DNR, those drastic swings pose a significant challenge to managing the coastline’s ecological health.

“What we’re hoping is that the public will help us to both identify what the issues may be with varying water levels, whether they’re shoreline property owners or business owners or just those who love to recreate in the area, we would like to know what their concerns are, how things have affected them,” says James Pardee, DNR Environmental Analysis and Review Specialist.

Pardee says the strategic analysis will be all-encompassing when it comes to the impact water levels have had on both the environment and economy.

“The fishery or bird populations or property owners or business owners, how is it affecting the economy, it’s really a wide-open look how different approaches may affect both the natural and the human environment,” explains Pardee.

After public comments are gathered, the DNR will spend a year interviewing experts and collecting information, with the goal of having a draft report completed a year from now.

Following public review, the final report will be published in late 2022 and given to decision-makers on future policies, programs and funding.

“Whatever is happening with water levels, we have to react to it, either as property owners or environmental managers or people running the harbors, whatever, we have to react to whatever the water level is,” says Pardee.

Information on how to comment on future shoreline management can be found at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/EIA/DoorPeninsulaSA