(New Buffalo, MI) - Much of the shoreline in New Buffalo today was underwater. Strong winds and a lot of rain lifted the already record high water levels of Lake Michigan.
Bob Stratton, the owner of Service 1 Marine, said flooding was really bad last year, but this is the worst he’s seen yet. New Buffalo city manager Dave Richards called the flooding historical. At one point, Richards said the swollen lake, because of the waves rolling in, was shoved over the beach, the beach parking lot, and Whittaker St. north of the bridge.
He said a new seawall along the Galien River to prevent flooding did some good, but will need shoring up to hold back all of the water when the tide rises. He also said repairs are also planned to a drain to keep some of the water in the harbor from leaching onto the street but if the lake wasn't this high the flooding happening now would not be occurring. Richards says the water on the lakefront side of Whittaker St. was about 18 inches deep.
