DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – After years of record high water levels, a popular Lake Michigan beach is making a comeback.
A steady stream of waves greets the shoreline at Whitefish Dunes State Park. The wide beach and shallow water attract swimmers of all ages. It’s also a place to escape the heat.
“It’s is a lot cooler than Oshkosh. It is nice. The water is very cold, but refreshing,” said Dottie Wright, Oshkosh.
“It’s cold. It is very cold. It’s probably 50-55 degrees, but it’s nice,” said Brad Wright, Oshkosh.
Whitefish Dunes State Park officials say the mile-long shoreline looks much different after years of record high levels forced Department of Natural Resources officials to limit access, and even close the first walkway to the beach.
“Right where this cove is, is where our worst currents are. So that’s where the erosion is the worst. Once the lake levels get high, and unfortunately because of those currents, it’s also the last area to heal after that too,” said Sarah Stepanik, Whitefish Dunes State Park Manager.
But those levels are coming down. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers monitors conditions, and they report Lake Michigan has dropped two feet from the same time two years ago. The DNR stabilized the shoreline and reopened the first walkway to the beach this spring.
“It was a huge relief when we started to see the sand washing back in,” said Stepanik.
Stepanik tells FOX 11 it’s a temporary fix, but some visitors say, it beats walking around.
“When you have little ones, and stuff, there’s always mosquitoes, and ticks and stuff like that. So being able to come straight to the beach is really nice,” said Alex Fernandez, Chicago, Illinois.
“There’s pretty much almost back to normal beach down there. It’s not quite what it should be, but it’s a lot better than what it was,” said Stepanik.
The DNR says more improvements are coming, including making the first beach entrance ADA-accessible once again.
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