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Technical Resources

Project Data Centers

C-STORM [cstormdb.erdc.dren.mil] – Basin wave and storm surge database platform, for access to wind, waves, pressure, ice, and water level data at near-shore “Save Points”
Note: This site will start with Lake Michigan data, followed by Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie data.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes Oblique Photo Viewer [greatlakes.usace.army.mil]

LiDAR [csc.noaa.gov] – High-resolution bathymetric and topographic data housed at NOAA’s Coastal Service Center
Great Lakes Shoreline Geodatabase (.gdb) [2.4 MB .zip]
CSHORE [sites.google.com] – CSHORE is a one-dimensional time-averaged nearshore profile model for predictions of wave height, water level, wave-induced steady currents, and profile evolution.

Great Lakes Coastal Flood Study, 2012 Federal Inter-Agency Initiative: Guidance Documents and Reports

Statistical Analysis and Storm Sampling for Lakes Michigan and St. Clair [3.68 MB .pdf],
Norberto C. Nadal-Caraballo, Jeffrey A. Melby, and Bruce A. Ebersole, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Final Published Report, September 2012)

Lake Michigan: Prediction of Sand Beach and Dune Erosion for Flood Hazard Assessment [1.0 MB .pdf],
Bradley D. Johnson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Final Published Report, September 2012)

Cross-Shore Numerical Model CSHORE for Waves, Currents, Sediment Transport
and Beach Profile Evolution [2.17 MB .pdf],
Bradley D. Johnson, Nobuhisa Kobayashi, and Mark B. Gravens, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Final Published Report, September 2012)

Wave Height and Water Level Variability on Lakes Michigan and St Clair [7.74 MB .pdf],
Jeffrey A. Melby, Norberto C. Nadal-Caraballo, Yamiretsy Pagán-Albelo, and Bruce Ebersole, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Final Published Report, October 2012)

Wave Runup Prediction for Flood Hazard Assessment [2.69 MB .pdf], prepared by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Draft, May 2012)

Lake Michigan: Modeling of Lake Michigan Storm Waves and Water Levels [22.4 MB .pdf], prepared by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Draft, May 2012)

FEMA Great Lakes Coastal Guidelines, Appendix D.3 Update [4.2 MB .pdf], (Draft, May 2012)
See chart below for summary of updates to the Guidelines:

Great Lakes Coastal Analysis and Mapping Guidance Updates Comparison
Click here for following table in .pdf format

Topic	Reference Section in Appendix D.3 (May 2012)	Summary of 2012 Update (May 2012)	Summary of Effective Guidance (February 2002)
Water Levels	D.3.4.4	Recommends storm surge modeling Considers water level variability over the period of 1960 to 2010 Measured data for model calibration Ice cover impacts considered	USACE Revised Report on Great Lakes Open-Coast Flood Levels (1988) Water level variability not addressed No consideration of ice cover
Incident Wave Conditions	D.3.4.3	Recommends lake-wide wave modeling Measured data for model calibration Shoreline buffering protection provided by Ice cover considered	Hindcast data (WIS) recommended source ½-year (Lake Ontario) and 3-year (Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, Superior) identified as appropriate wave conditions for flood insurance study Wave period identified as critical characteristic No consideration of ice cover protecting shoreline from waves
Nearshore Wave Transformation	D.3.4.3.2	2-D wave modeling recommended for shoaling areas of complex bathymetry 1-D wave modeling (CSHORE) for surf zone	Simplified assessments for sheltered waters based on fetch analysis (Automated Coastal Engineering System) recommended
Erosion	D.3.7	Setting specific approaches provided CSHORE model recommended for assessing surf zone processes Beach morphology change due to lake level cycles	Qualitative assessments based on historic response data as available Recommendations for sandy dune and bluff presented
Coastal Structures	D.3.8	Evaluation based on Criteria for Evaluating Flood Protection Structures for NFIP Purposes (FEMA, 1990) Treatment of failed and removed coastal armoring structures Coastal levees	Evaluation based on Criteria for Evaluating Flood Protection Structures for NFIP Purposes (FEMA, 1990)
Wave Setup	D.3.5.1	1-D model (CSHORE) recommended	No consideration of wave setup
Wave Runup	D.3.5.2	1-D model (CHSORE) recommended Mase equation for areas where 1-D model not applicable Coastal Engineering Manual (CEM) for vertical structures and stepped walls/embankments	FEMA Great Lakes Wave Runup Model (GLWRM)
Wave Overtopping	D.3.5.3	Coastal Engineering Manual (CEM) & EurOtop	Provides references for overtopping analysis
Flood Hazard Mapping	D.3.9	VE Zones not mapped without prior FEMA approval	Definition of SFHA and mapping guidelines