RACINE flOUNTY ■= WISCONSIN 



The area studied embraces the Lake Michigan shore of Racine County with 

 a length of about lU miles,, The land from the north county line to Wind 

 Point, a distance of Sz miles is little developedj, thence south about 3z 

 miles to the north breakwater of Racine Harbor the shore is developed for 

 residential and park useo South of the harbor for a distance of lo7 miles, 

 the city of Racine has built a discontinuous breakwater offshore and is 

 filling parts of the area between the breakwater and the shore,, A sewage 

 disposal plant occupies a low area between the lake and the bluff for the 

 next l/ii mileo Thence southward an industrial plant occupies about 1/2 

 mile of frontage o The remaining frontage to the south county line is partly 

 developed for residential use and part is farm lando The populations of 

 the county and city are about 109i,000 and 7I51OOO respectively. 



The coast within Racine County consists of bluffs of silty clay with 

 generally narrow beaches of sand and pebbles » North Beach, lying just north 

 of the north harbor breakwater,, is sandy and has a maximum width of about 

 k^O feete North of the harbor^ the principal publicly owned portions of 

 shore frontage are Shoop Park, Zoological Park and North Beacho The latter 

 two are used as municipal bathing beacheso South of the harbor^ the city 

 of Racine is obtaining riparian rights and proposes to use the filled area 

 between the offshore breakwaters and the shore for park purposes » The city 

 also owns the Sewage Disposal Plant just south of the city limits o 



The purpose of the study was to determine the most effective methods 

 of preventing erosion of the shore by waves and currents o The district 

 engineer^ in cooperation with the division engineer and the Beach Erosion 

 Board, investigated the history and present conditions along the shores of 

 Racine County, analyzed the factors affecting the problem, and developed 

 plans for protective measures^ as desired by the cooperating agencyo 



The shores of Racine County have a general history of erosion by 

 waves and currents o During periods of high lake stages^ waves pass over 

 the generally narrow beaches » Upon reaching the toe of the bluff they 

 cause undercutting and slumping,, The material thus removed is generally 

 too fine to remain on the beacho Material is moved southward alongshore 

 due to the prevailing direction of wave approach from the northeasto This 

 material and that derived from the bluffs in the immediate vicinity are 

 insufficient to stabilize the shore o Where there is a moderate volume 

 of littoral drifts it may be impounded by groins to widen the beacho Pro- 

 tective beaches may also be artificially placed and retained by groins o 

 Such artificially placed beaches have the advantages of providing immediate 

 protection and preventing possible adverse effects of depriving adjacent 

 portions of shore of material « Walls and revetments are alternative methods 

 of preventing waves from reaching erodible bluff material. 



The district and division engineers and the Beach Erosion Board con- 

 cluded that the most effective methods of preventing erosion of the shore 

 by waves and currents are by protective beaches, impounded by groins or 



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