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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-01-15, Page 24Page 8 SHORELI E MANAGEMENTLAKE LEVE LS Ai' SHORELINE How much does it cost to control a Great Lake? Who is, or will be respon- sible? Who will benefit? Like a black and white picture show, there needn't be any sound. We can see our feeble efforts at attempting to control the bluff erosion along the shores of Lake Huron. Property owners, in desperation, have thrown virtually everything, including the kit-. (hen sink, onto these eroding bluffs in hopes of protecting the few remaining meters of soil that presently support their homes. The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority has been in the business of flood and erosion control for over 30 years but throughout those years the western boundary of the watershed, namely the shoreline, has been poorly understood. The cost and complexity of Iakeshore flooding and erosion has steadily risen. In addition, efforts to control the problems are not easily mounted. The shoreline is ad- ministered by several municipalities and at (east 5 provincial and federal agencies have legislation that applies to shoreline activity. Little wonder then that few shoreline management pro- grams exist in Ontario. Since 1979, the Maitland Valley Con- servation Authority has acted as a liaison between the various levels of government presently involved in shoreline management. This approach ensures that property owners get infor- mation relevant to their specific con- cern, without having to contact eac h of the organizations to get the answers they need. GODERICH BLUFFS EROSION CONTROL PROJECT The Town of Goderich has had an ongoing battle with the lake to keep the shoreline in place. Lake currents and the prevailing winds remove shoreline sands and silts leaving a cob- ble stone beach. The most serious area of erosion occurs between the water intake plant and the sewage treatment plant just south of St. Christopher's beach. Previous study has shown that the high value public and private property can be protected with the construction of a man-made groyne and hard point in front of the Town sewage treatment plant. To keep the costs to a minimum, the Town and the Conservation Authority have requested the use of the rock and sand material that will he ex- cavated from the Federal Govern- ment's harbour improvement pro- gram. The cooperation of the Federal agen- cies involved has made this joint pro- ject a benefit to all parties. In addition to protecting the shore, the groyne and hard point will help the Federal agen- cies in their efforts to keep the siltation of the harbour to a minimum and thereby, reduce future maintenance costs. Construction has already commenc- ed with the Town of Goderich dump- ing used concrete and rubble along the shoreline. Over the next few months, the Conservation Authority hopes to obtain $75,000 from the Provincial Ministry of Natural Resources to con- struct the remaining rock core groyne prior to next spring's storms. PORT ALBERT EROSION CONTROL The hamlet of Port Albert has long been a recreation center. The fishing, swimming, boating and scenic lookouts have attracted both local and regional tourists. In recent years, a sand bar at the Nine Mile River mouth has been causing some flooding, ero- sion and fish migration problems, but cottagers have expressed concern that a more lasting solution must be found. 4 / J \ , t.::it , A.-) .2 r The Conservation Authority has been asked to investigate the most economical solution to the problem on behalf of the local cottagers and the Township of Ashfield. If the study shows that the benefits of constructing a protection device outweigh the costs, the Authority could act as a catalyst to secure funding from other government agencies. • , AJ r 'f EROSION ARE ON THE 'ISE It has been 12 years since Lake Huron rose to record heights. In' the summer of 1973, the lake rose to the highest levels in over 100 years of record. At that time the lake was over 1 meter (3 fee=t) above normal levels and the erosion problems stretched the full length of Huron County's shoreline. In 1973 and subsequent years, property owners felt helpless as they watched their cottages and homes diminish in value with each new bank slump. Now, in 1985, the lake levels have again returned to record highs and projections for 1986 offer no signs of relief. The unusually large amount of rainfall and snowmelt in the Lake Superior and Lake Huron basins are the major culprits. Some have sug- gested that Netter management of the locks at the mouth of Lake Superior would relieve some of the flooding but experts have confirmed that the level of Lake Huron can be lowered no more than :3 inches with such management. Even this lowering can only be sustain- ed for a short period of time before the Lake Superior levels become dangerously high themselves. Judging by the wide range of possi- ble lake levels in any given month, it seems that the lakes will rise and fall in their own time and the efforts of government and private enterprise should be focused on how to reduce the impact of the lake flooding and subsequent erosion. Goderich Township - Shoreline tions and using private funding. protection based on Authority recommenda- Jr; :r. k Zi Maitland Valley Conservation Authority Box 127, Wroxeter, Ontario NOG 2X0 -Office: (519) 335-3557