Consultants recommend ice boom, wave fence and flexible moorings to protect Sheboygan docks

Consultants told the commission that winter and wind conditions create concentrated currents that damage docks and that the right mix of structures and moorings can reduce that risk. "When we have a thing called wind setup, the wind actually pushes the water up and the water rises in what I'm gonna call the outer harbor, and that actually forces the river circulation to do different things and that's what's causing the problem," Greg said. Based on model outputs, he recommended avoiding dock placement in identified high-flow 'red spots' and using an ice boom and wave-fence measures where necessary.

Greg also described a strategy used in colder regions of allowing the basin to ice in and using flexible moorings so the ice sheet can rise and fall without binding and crushing docks. "If the whole thing is locked in and we have the flexibility in the system for it to move up and down without binding and damaging things, that's sometimes a very good strategy," he said. The consultants recommended permitting seasonal options (e.g., drop-in panels) if on-site monitoring shows they become necessary.