The coastal dunes along shores of Lake Michigan are among the most striking natural features in the state of Michigan
Lake Michigan dunes come in a variety of shapes and sizes
The Formation of Michigan's Coastal Dunes
Lake Michigan dunes are relatively young in geological terms
As long as 16,000 years ago Michigan was covered by thousands of feet of glacial ice
It contained a mix of boulders, cobbles, sand, and clay
During glacial melting these materials were left behind and are known as glacial drift
Formation Cont…
This glacial drift is what composes most of the sand in lake Michigan coastal dunes
The sands were either eroded from glacial drift along the coast by wave activity or eroded from inland deposits and carried by rivers and streams
Only the hardest, smallest, and least soluble sand grains were moved
Waves and currents eventually moved these tiny rocks inland, creating beaches along the Great Lakes shoreline
Formation Cont…
Winds from 8 to 24 mph began moving the sand grains The size of sand is directly related to the wind speed,
larger grains and clumps require higher wind speed These bouncing sand grains resemble tiny, skipping ping
pong balls as they are moved by the wind through a process called saltation
The sand will eventually meet an obstruction such as some grass causing it to clump on the ground and slowly make a small mound
Formation Cont…
Now we have a dune that is beginning to form though it is a rather slow process
Its continued growth depends on perennial vegetation, wind, and sand
Because dune plants act as barriers to sand movement and hold migrating sand, they play a critical role in the formation and stabilization of dunes
Formation Cont…
The wind continues to push sand grains up the windward side of the dune crest, causing the dune to grow in the downwind direction
Many sand grains continue moving and eventually roll down the steep back slope
Straight Forward Diagram
A profile view of a typical dune sequence in P.J. Hoffmaster State Park shows relative sizes and locations of the following dune types:
Fordune Dune Ridge Blowout Parabolic Dune Backdune
Foredunes
Low very active dunes
Parallel to the beachNamed for there
position, the are the first dune inland from the beach hence the name FOREDUNE
Dune Ridge
The dune ridge is located between the foredune if one is present and the parabolic dune
The dune ridge is taller than the foredune
Blowouts
Blowouts are depressions made by wind erosion in already existing sand deposits
Blowouts occur on any dune
Parabolic dunes are large blowouts
In this photo the blowout used to be bare but the blowout shaped it into a parabolic dune
Parabolic Dunes
Sometimes referred to as coastal blowouts
Crescent shaped with tips pointing up wind
Blowouts in their centers
Parabolic Dunes Cont…
They nest into one another away from the beach
The oldest parabolic dunes are found furthest inland
Fordunes become parabolic and migrate inland
Backdunes
Refers to stabilized dunes separated from the shoreline by other dunes giving them protection from wind erosion
Because of the lack of wind erosion forests begin to develop and soils form
Backdunes Cont…
Not a distinct type of dune based on shape or method of formation
They are merely stabilized parabolic dunes, foredunes, and dune ridges
There forest covering shows that they have been inactive for many years
Ripples
Among the smallest landforms created by wind
Much in common with dunes but the sizes don’t overlap
Ripples form when wind moves over dry, bare, sandy surfaces
Ripples Cont…
Most Ripples are roughly aligned at right angles with the wind that formed them
If you are observant you will be able to tell which direction the wind is traveling at by the angle of the the Ripple
Dark Layers
The sand of Michigan coastal dunes is mostly quartz
other minerals such as feldspar, magnetite, hornblende, garnet and calcite are also present
magnetite and other dark minerals like hornblende sometimes collects in dark patches or layers on the beach and dune surfaces
Dark Layers Cont…
Dark Layers form on beaches the waves causes the minerals to accumulate
Dark Layers occur on dunes when wind and gravity move the sand around
Many people believe at first glance that Dark Layers are in fact pollution but that is a boldfaced lie
Sand Pillars
Sand Pillars form when there is uneven moisture in a beach or dune surface and the wind erodes the drier sand, leaving the wetter sand behind
The moister in the sand holds the grains together and makes the Pillars more resistant to wind
Eventually the Pillars dry out and erode away
Sand Pillars Cont…
One activity that may cause uneven moisture in a beach or dune surface is water draining into the sand unevenly after a heavy precipitation event
The preferred pathways for water drainage become the wettest, and these pathways turn into the pillars when wind removes the drier surrounding sand
Wind Circles Wind Circles are the
traces left behind when the wind moves the leaves of a plant and the leaves brush the sand surface, the outcome is often pretty neat looking
Half circles are most common when the wind has a dominant direction
Full circles can indicate more variation in wind direction
Mining
Once sand dunes are gone they are gone for goodMining is not just a threat it is the most
destructive and irreversible damage being done to dunes
Houses generally don’t cause entirely to much damage to dunes, in fact dunes can heal themselves from that but once it is mined it can never be brought back
Mining Cont…
Not only do we loose these unique and rare dunes but we also loose the flora and fauna that call them home
Even the companies that do mine admit how severe the damage to the dunes are
The reason there is more mining in the southern are is because up north they are not actually dunes
Mining Cont…
Foundries have used sand to produce metal casting for centuries
It is used to make a cast and metal is poured into the cast and BINGO you have your product
Mining Cont…
Over 50 million tons of sand have been mined since the late 70’s
There are 6 things foundries look for in good sand– Grain Shape– Bonding Ability– Refractoriness– Durability– Chemical Composition
Dune Plant Life
Beach Grass or Marram Grass– Beach Grass is extremely
important to the survival of a sand dune
– It holds the sand in place with its roots
– It is capable of growing quickly to change with shifting sands
– You should avoid walking on beach grass so as not to damage it
Perched Dunes
Perched Dunes exist on a surface that is above the level of lake Michigan
The wind travels up the bluff and picks up sand along the way and drops it on the top
This can completely remove clay from the area
The parts with dune grass are actual dunes but the slope going down is a glacial deposit
Perched Dunes Cont…
Sleeping Bear Dunes is a good example of perched dunes
The dunes lie on top of glacial moraines which rise 30 to 360 feet above lake Michigan
The Legend of Sleeping Bear Dunes
Long ago, in the land that is today Wisconsin, Mother Bear and her two cubs were driven into Lake Michigan by
a raging forest fire. The cubs swam strongly but the distance and the water proved too much for them. They
fell further and further behind and ultimately slipped beneath the waves. When Mother Bear reached the
Michigan shore, she climbed to the top of a bluff and peered back across the water, searching vainly for her
cubs. The Great Spirit saw her and took pity on her plight. He raised North and South Manitou Islands to mark the place where her cubs vanished and laid a slumber upon
Mother Bear.-Ojibway Indian Legend