As storms increase in ferocity and oceanfronts bare the brunt of bigger and more frequent wave effects, regions with homes, yards, beaches and parks on the waterfront are reviewing how the damage and erosion can be mitigated.
Powell River Regional District has made a successful application to the federal Environmental Damages Fund for a restoration project at Palm Beach Regional Park where the shoreline hard wall will be removed and replaced with a natural green shore design.
“We have been partnering with the Stewardship Centre for BC since 2014,” said regional district director of planning Laura Roddan. “We’re one of a handful of local governments that are participating in this program.”
Coastal engineering studies prove the hard wall will not hold up against damage brought on by climate change, according to regional district asset management and strategic initiatives manager Mike Wall.
“We should be creating softer scapes at our oceanfronts with proper vegetation and locked-in rocks or logs to provide a more natural oceanfront,” said Wall, “and that will dissipate the energy of wave action creating erosion.”
Waves impact directly on hard walls or seawalls, such as the one at Palm Beach, and result in wave reflection or bounce-off that cause an excavating effect behind them.
“It will also cause an end-wall effect and excavate your neighbour's property,” said Wall.
Regional district committee of the whole received correspondence from Environment and Climate Change Canada funding programs on February 8 notifying the regional district of the funding.
With the successful application, the district will now have to negotiate a funding agreement with the ministry before March 27.
The federal contribution would be up to $49,700 for a total project value of $57,635.
Roddan said those negotiations are just a formality and there is no reason to think funds will not be forthcoming.
“We're promoting it in the context of one of the board's strategic priorities, which is climate change adaptation planning,” said Roddan. “The projections for coastal communities like ours are rising sea levels and increased storm surge and we need to build those long-term impacts into our land-use planning.”
As a Green Shores-certified project, restoration at Palm Beach will serve as a demonstration, training and community engagement opportunity for the district to promote waterfront sustainability.
“Through the program we have been providing training and education opportunities annually,” said Roddan. The 2018 training will take place on Texada Island on April 21.
According to Roddan, a group of property owners at Indian Point on Savary Island experience damaging erosion issues. The region has conducted Green Shores training there, a coastal engineer has accessed the shoreline and a design for restoration has been completed.
The group is awaiting certification before work on construction can begin.
In addition to the training opportunities, the regional district has developed community education materials about waterfront sustainability.
“Our region is leading the pack in terms of south coast communities,” said Roddan.
Those regions include Cowichan, Comox Valley Regional District, West Vancouver and the Islands Trust.
Stewardship Centre for BC executive director D.G. Blair said using nature-based solutions to address erosion issues at Palm Beach is a significant restoration that takes in the entire site, promoting natural values and, at the same time, mitigating the effects of severe storms and increasing sea levels caused by climate change.
"Your region is demonstrating leadership in adaptation planning and restoration,” said Blair, “and they're demonstrating that to their residents.”
