Submitted photo from Rebecca Wurster An example of a wave attenuator is being considered for Dunkirk.

Lake Erie, which is a natural wonder, can at times be cauldron of troubles. When the winds whip on the shallow waters it can create seiches, especially when they blow from southwest to northeast.

The National Weather Service notes that in 1844, a 22-foot seiche breached a 14-foot high sea wall killing 78 people and damming the ice to the extent that Niagara Falls temporarily stopped flowing. In 2008, winds created waves 12 to 16 feet high in Lake Erie, leading to flooding near Buffalo.

As recently as December, high waters from the lake — due to gusts topping 60 mph — washed out portions of Point Gratiot and caused some minor havoc at the Pier.

While these situations are extraordinary and do not happen on a daily basis, there is a need to limit damage on the waterfront. Earlier this month, the county proposed the addition of cast iron “wave attenuators” at the Dunkirk Pier to break up damaging waves that rip through the nearby marina. “There needs to be something done to have the economic impact that Dunkirk’s waterfront deserves,” said Rebecca Wurster from the county Planning Department.

Wurster and Dave McCoy made the pitch for the devices during a Dunkirk Economic Development Planning Committee. McCoy noted the most damaging waves come from a northeasterly direction and ricochet off the pier and around the harbor, often harming both boats and docks.

Though the $1 million project is not likely to begin until next year, local officials cannot lose sight of the importance of safeguarding the waterfront. This proposal seems well worth the investment.