People along the Lake Michigan shoreline are getting ready for winter storms.
The city of Manistee is preparing beaches and homes for the high winds and snow.
9&10’s Taylor Jones was in Manistee with the precautions people are taking before the weather rolls in.
“One of the best assets that our community has, is the sandy beaches along Lake Michigan,” says Jeff Mikula, Manistee Department of Public Works director.
But during the winter months, it takes work to keep that sand in place.
Snow fencing is just one of the ways the Department of Public Works protects the beaches from damage and erosion.
“The fencing just decreases wind velocity, which allows the sand particles to drop out of the wind. We set up a series of fencing perpendicular to the wind and then fencing goes parallel to each other, we have an area for that sand trapped,” says Mikula.
Manistee beach house owners like Diana Monovich, also use the fencing, but have to prepare for winter weather all year by planting dune grass that holds sand and snow in place.
“The first year, I was in before the grass really took hold. The snow would come and I would try to use the snow blower and you weren’t picking up as much sand or snow, so I got rid of that and called a snow plow,” says Monovich.
The grass may solve some wind problems, but other precautions have to be taken for loose outdoor furniture and even Christmas decorations.
“I have a cording system that ties down my deck furniture down. Even the Christmas decorations, the few that I put outside have to be wired a lot or wired to a railing, you just can’t put decorations out because everything blows away," says Monovich.
© 2023 - 910 Media Group
