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Lakeshore Advance, 2012-02-01, Page 2Wednesday, February 2, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 9 Round table for those people affected by Port Franks flooding Lynda HIilman-Rapiey Lakeshore Advance More than 100 Lazy Acres to Port Franks people attended the round table presentation at the Community N.Centre Saturday. Ausable Bayfield '. Conservation Authority presented an informative with Alec Scott, Water and Planning Manager at the helm. 1bm Prout General Manager/Secre- tary Treasurer was also on hand to answer queries. Members of council, and Lambton Shores staff were also part of the meeting. Scott briefly explained the back- ground of the Ausable going back to the 1800s where the flooding issues In 1875, the Canada Company con- structed a "cut" in the river's path from the south end of the Thedford Marsh to the Village of Port Franks in order to relieve flooding. This "cut" drained the Thedford Marsh and parts of Lake Bur- well and enabled the land to be used for vegetable farming. As a result, the Ausable River empties directly in to Lake Huron at Port Franks. This was the beginning of problems for the village of Port Franks. Scott told those in attend- ance there have been many options for the problems. Since then diversions and dams and ideas to stop the flood- ing and erosion in this area. Scott provided history of previous ice jams that had resulted in flooding in Port Franks and upstream settlements, and noted that the severity of the 1997 jam and subsequent flooding resulted in requests from the public to review ways of eliminating the ice jamming. Several public meeting were held, and options discussed, however at that time, funding was not available for cap- ital works. Funding programs were subsequently announced that would provide grants that would cover up to 50% of the costs, and the Conservation Authority submitted applications for the Ice Management project and the Bendway Weir project to reduce the impact of erosion on the Island in Port Franks. Both grants were approved, and as these were fairly significant projects, Lambton Shores made the decision to proceed with the Bendway Weir project first. The estimated costs of $600,000. associated with the Ice Management project raised reservations as there was not guarantee the flooding and or erosion issues would cease so that project was cancelled in 2008. Scott told the forum of all the public meetings, studies and decisions made since 1997. In the options dredging had a cost of $500,000- $1 million plus mainte- nance. The pros are low potential for ice jams and minimal property distur- bance and grants could be available. In cons is the maintenance and the no guarantee. Ice cuts are another option with a $25,000-$30,000 annual price tag. 'Ibis would provide for ice passage with minimal disruption to the area but there could still be ice jams in some locations and the timing of the work is weather dependent. Another option is burms with a price tag of $25,000 plus land costs. This would reduce flooding but there would still be jams, it would disrupt the area, and burins don't guarantee anything. Another option is removal at a cost of $10,000-$50,000 per expert. There is still potential for flooding and cons included liability to the municipality, river width and access issues and the timelines to get equipment in. Ice booms come of $50,000 to $60,000 per unit. This has the potential to reduce flooding but there could be a need of 10-20 units and there is a need for land control and suitable locations. The storage of water, as in a dam could be $5 million plus. This could lower the flow and reduce flooding but the cost factor comes into play. Ice blasts are $4,000- $6,000 per event and it may work. 'There is a safety issue as well as a liability issue and it may not work. Flood warnings are also part of the water shed Pertldpents at a flood meeting Saturday broke into groups to discuss solutions systems. Predictions are difficult with many variables. The warnings may not provide enough time and flooding still occurs. Debris removal and regulations cost $4,000 per year has the potential to reduce damages and jams but there is a resistance to regulation. Present situation in the flood plain regarding regulation 147-06 (Preven- tion of loss of life and property damage from flooding and erosion, as well as enhancing natural resources, is a key mandate of a Conservation Authority and Regulation Prevention of loss of life and property damage from flooding and erosion, as well as enhancing natu- ral resources, is a key mandate of a Conservation Authority and Regulation 147/06 provides a consistent approach to fulfill that mandate. provides a con- sistent approach to fulfill that man- date). This restricts areas of develop- ment docking infrastructure, control of filling, allowance for development, dredging options, funding, time delays and then the cancellation of the project in late 2008, Present situation The decision to deal with ice jams rests with the Lambton Shores council, Before ABCA can do anything they need the municipal direction. Questions and comments Deputy mayor Elizabeth Davis asked if the 50 per cent grants for ice manage- ment approvals are still available. Scott explained ABCA would have to apply and the $5 tnillion dollar pool is a sub- mission pool where a comtnittee looks at the requests and ranks them and those dollars are matched by the municipalities. he said there is no guarantee. Among those who never misses the information meetings was Bill Maxfield who asked how much phoney has been spent to date "rehashing this problem." Scott said the last grouping was $115,000 for engineers, studies includ- ing the species at risk. Ward 4 councilor Ruth Illman asked about payment options. Scott explained that ARCA pay 10 per cent of the costs and the municipality 90 per cent in a cost sharing through the benefiting property owners. Ile said grants also play their part. Ernie Lewis, a I luron Woods resident asked in Scott's professional opinion what is the most cost effective manage- ment program for the short and long term. Scott said that was difficult to answer because there are benefits to all the options. Mayor Bill Weber said,' there is no simple solution or it would already have been done" Ward 7 councilor John Russell asked about the safety issues regarding l)nion Gas and the flooding. Scott said Plan 41 flows across the road and backs to Patrick Street Park so that would not be an issue but that any issues with this safety issues needs to he discussed with Union Gas. Terrance Laird cited the Great Lakes storm of 1913 as being the reason for the later flooding in Port Franks Ntark Simpson, former Lambton Shores councilor asked about funding from other government agencies and Scott said not for this project and not at this time. Pat Jeffrey, a Four Corners resident, commented he was not in Port Franks during the early January Platte 41 flood- ing, and asked what Scott felt was In store for the spring. The last question before going to the round table dis- cussions was the possibility of a breakwater from the chan- nel to the lake. Scott said a pier would he okay if it were not Port Franks, 'this mouth is unique, Scott told the crowd. 1 le said this could not be com- pared to (;rand Bend. "'Phis would cost a lot of money to figure out how these sands move and what would be the best solution there. It would be so costly, no one would ever agree," said Scott. Round Table A councilor was set at each of the tables with three questions posed. For those who stayed after the Scott's presentation were asked: Are property owners affected by the ice issues willing to work together and with the municipality and ABCA technical assistance look at long-term ways or methods of dealing with the ice issue? Are property owners affected by the ice issues prepared to finance the cost of any immediate pleasures to try to break up ice jams that form? What other methods of dealing with ice, short term or long term, not men- tioned at this meeting should be considered? The groups discussed the questions and the findings will be taken back to council. A survey was given to each participant. Questions centred around specific flooding, costs and dam- ages, and future flooding solutions, Choices for Seniors Information on Independent Living Achieve a Healthy, Happy New Year 1 Voryotie wtulte to be happy in the now year. 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