Lab 6: The Effects of Climate Change on Lake Michigan
The sun shines over the coast of Lake Michigan Wednesday, July 14, 2021 in Arcadia, MI. The rock border was placed to ensure the erosion of Lake Michigan would not continue to damage Camp Arcadia's shoreline.
Camp Arcadia is a Lutheran family camp in Arcadia, MI that my family and I have frequented every year since I was born. I remember running along the beach, and building sand castles when I was younger. None of which is possible anymore because the beach is completely gone. A person used to have to walk out the shore, now one simply has to step outside the lakeside inn and you are practically there.
The reason visitors can no longer enjoy the beaches in Arcadia, MI is because the water levels of Lake Michigan have risen dramatically over the past 10 years. The water level is the highest it have ever been since the 1980's.
Comparison of Lake Michigan's water level spanning from 1920 to the present. Provided by Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience.
The cause of these drastic changes is climate change. Over the past century the climate in Michigan has risen two to three degrees per year. This may not sound like much but it has had a big impact. The higher temperatures are causing heavy rainstorms to appear more frequently, and ice on the Great Lakes to appear later and melt sooner,
Projection of higher temperatures is the Great Lakes Region for the next twenty to thirty years. Provided by GLISA, a NOAA Risa Team.
If I were to post social media content on this subject it would look something like this:
Facebook:
There is nothing like having a beautiful place to escape to during the summer and relax. Camp Arcadia is that place for me. Although, the place isn't quite what it used to be due to the erosion of the beaches. Visit https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/how-climate-crisis-affecting-michigan to learn more about the impact of climate change in Michigan! (This would be posted with the photo at the top of this blog post) #cliamatechange #thecampwealllovebest #lakemichigan
Instagram:
Over the past 10 years Camp Arcadia's beaches have been impacted by erosion caused by climate change. Visit https://camp-arcadia.com/ to learn more about what you can do to help save our beloved camp! #climatechange #camparcadia
(This would also be posted with the photo used at the beginning of this blog post)