Lake Michigan Shoreline
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Marquette Park, located at the southernmost point of Lake Michigan, experiences the greatest sand movement within the region during storms. Sand movement occurs along the shoreline in both directions in longshore currents, although the predominant motion, or primary littoral drift, is from east to west. Sand movement also occurs offshore in the form of inner and outer sand bars.
The U.S. Steel breakwater, located approximately one mile to the west of Lake Street Beach traps westward moving sand which causes it to accumulate. This trapped sand backs up from the breakwater all the way east to County Line Road. The sand accretion makes a visual impact on the landscape in the form of continually widening beaches and growing sand dunes.
Marquette Park’s shoreline connects to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore at both its east and west ends.
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