News Photo by Steve Schulwitz U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow hosts a roundtable session in Alpena to discuss high water issues in Northeast Michigan. She also toured the coastline to see what impacts it has had on infrastructure. Here she looks at how the wind, waves and erosion has threatened Starlite Beach.

ALPENA — Today, U.S. Sen. Deb Stabenow hosted a roundtable discussion in Alpena with local municipal leaders, representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Michigan Emergency Management officials to brainstorm what can be done to head off some of the expected impacts from higher water levels on the Great Lakes.

It is hoped the talks will help establish a game plan for paying for repair or replacement of what has already been damaged and protecting assets that are threatened by the high water.

Stabenow also took a brief tour around Alpena’s coast to see some of the damage that has already taken place, including the volleyball courts at Mich-e-ke-wis Park, erosion at Starlite Beach, and damage to the Blair Street pier.

Stabenow pledged to work with others in Congress to help make funding more easily available to communities such as Alpena and Rogers City, which has also seen damage from high water.

“Whatever we need to do to help, we will do to help,” Stabenow said.