Effect of 2017 Bulldozing And Other Grooming Of Beach At

Sauble On Erosion And Piping Plover Habitat Loss Due To

Beach Erosion

Commentary 9-2 May 22 2019

Craig Gammie

When the wind blows strong from the Sault across 200 kilometers of open water for several

days the waves several kilometers offshore at Sauble can reach 20 feet or more, and the beach

at Sauble can take quite a pounding.

January 7, 8, 9 of 2019 there was such a storm. Winds gusting to 65 km/hr on the 7th and 57

km/hr on the 8th brought strong waves.

date Max wind km/hr

January 6 2019 37

January 7 65

January 8 57

January 9 48

January 10 37

With the strong Northwest wind on the 7th and 8th, waves offshore travelled from Northwest to

Southeast. Because Chief’s Point provided some shelter, the wave action was a bit different

North of 6th and especially close to the River, where waves veered a bit and came onto the

beach more directly from the West.

Waves from the west surge more or less directly onto the beach then lose their power then

stop and then reverse and flow back into the lake. Erosion from these waves can be on the

surge or the ebb.

Further South out of the shelter of Chief’s Point the wave action was a bit different. The waves

approached at an angle and swept along the beach a bit and then flowed back into the lake

further south. The erosion looks different, but there was still erosion.

When there is vegetation on the beach, the roots and stems hold the sand and the surge waves

and the ebb wave erode less and do less damage.

A ridge or tiny dune near the water’s edge also dampens the effect of the waves. A swale or

depression east of the ridge will absorb much or all of the surge and the ebb will have a lot less

erosion power. Natural debris also absorbs some of the wave power.

By January 10th an ice barrier had formed and after that no waves reached the shore until the

ice melted in the spring, about April 10th.

Around April 26th 2019 there was another big storm on Lake Huron. The storm was strongest

April 26 and early April 27th. A low pressure area around Sauble may have raised the water

level a bit, making the waves higher. Maximum winds are in the table below. The storm

produced large waves. The waves came ashore at Sauble beach and caused a lot of erosion.

date Max wind km/hr

April 25 2019 17

26 76

27 65

28 41

29 43

30 28

May 1 61

May 2 15

Before the beach was bulldozed in August/ September 2017, the beach had lots of vegetation

and a ridge near shore and in many areas there was a long swale or series of swales east of the

ridge.

When the beach was bulldozed August/ September 2017 most of the vegetation was removed

and the shore ridge was removed and the swales were filled in. What was left was a denuded

beach either flat or gently sloping towards the lake.

This made perfect conditions for maximum erosion damage and loss of sand during a storm.

It is my submission that the bulldozing of the beach in August 2017 made the beach much more

vulnerable to erosion. As a result the erosion caused by storms and especially the April 26,

2019 storm was much worse than it would otherwise have been. The bulldozing in 2017

damaged habitat directly and also resulted in habitat damage and destruction later as a result

of vulnerability to storms.

What follows is pictures of the erosion caused mostly or entirely by the two storms.

Peach walkway

Pictures 1 and 2 are pictures before the bulldozing of August, 2017. They show dunes formed

with the assistance of a sand fence west end of Geoff Peach walkway.

Before they were bulldozed theses dunes were high and well vegetated. I submit that had

they not been bulldozed away in August 2017 they would have protected the beach fairly well

from the storms of January 2019 and April 26, 2019 and minimized the loss of sand.

Picture 1 – Geoff peach walkway before August 2017 bulldozing

Picture 2 – Geoff peach walkway before August 2017 bulldozing

Pictures 3 and 4 are the same area after the bulldozing. In picture 3 a sand fence that was

placed to initiate dune formation is shown mostly covered by a bit of sand not yet bulldozed

away.

Picture 3 – Geoff peach walkway after August 2017 bulldozing

Picture 4 shows a filled in swale just North of the Geoff Peach walkway bridge.

Picture 4 – Geoff peach walkway after August 2017 bulldozing

Picture 5 (IMG_2422 DK) is September 2017 after fence posts and fences were broken off and

are in a pile awaiting removal. Some fencing and parts of posts were left in the ground. Fences

had been broken off at or just below the new bulldozed sand surface. The part of the walkway

west of the part with railings on either side is buried in this picture.

Picture 5 – Geoff peach walkway after August 2017 bulldozing

Picture 6 (IMG_0081 CG May 7 2019) shows fence posts at May 7, 2019 that had been buried at

August / September 2017. But at May 7, 2019 the tops of the posts were at least one foot

above the top of the sand they were buried in. This is an indication of loss of about a foot of

sand due to erosion. I believe most of the loss was from the April 26, 2019 storm. The part of

the walkway without side railings has also been exposed.

Picture 7- (IMG_ 0082 (CG) May 7 2019) shows the once buried fence remains just south of

Peach walkway. This indicates a bit less sand removal by erosion in that spot.

Picture 6- May 7 2019 at Geoff peach walkway

Picture 7- IMG_ 0082 (CG) May 7 2019 shows the once buried fence

remains just south of Peach walkway

300 feet south of Sauble falls road walkway (300 South of Geoff Peach walkway)

Picture 8- January 13 120424 (CG) shows some erosion.

Picture 8- January 13 120424 300 fet south of Peach Walkway

Picture 9- Img_1703 (AV) april 27, 2019 about 300 feet south of Sauble Falls Road walkway

(Geoff Peach walkway) looking north, shows more erosion.

Picture 10- IMG_0084 May 7, 2019 (CG) 300 feet south of Sauble falls road walkway. From

the roots showing I estimate erosion of 1 to 2 vertical feet.

Picture 9- Img_1703 (AV) april 27, 2019

Picture 10- IMG_0084 May 7, 2019 300 feet south of Sauble falls road walkway

450 feet south of Sauble Falls Road

Picture 11- IMG_0089 May 7, 2019 shows where strong vegetation held sand to some degree.

Picture 11- IMG_0089 May 7, 2019

Tennis courts (300 meters north of 11th)

Picture 12 IMG 90 May 7 2019 at tennis courts – estimate sand loss 6 vertical inches near

shore.

I

Picture 12 - IMG 90 May 7 2019 at tennis courts – estimate sand loss 6 vertical

inches near shore.

10th Street

Picture 13 - IMG 0080 at May 7 2019 10th street volleyball posts. Not very clear but west post

colouring may indicate at least 8 inches of sand loss.

Picture 13 - IMG 0080 at May 7 2019 10th street volleyball posts.

7th street

Picture 14 , 15 - Images 78, 79 May 7th at 7th street high foredune protected the beach east of it

but there was lots erosion west of the foredune. To the best of my recall the foredune

formed after bulldozing of 2017.

Picture 14 , Image 78, May 7th at 7th street

Picture 15 , Image 79, May 7th at 7th street

6th street

Picture 16 - May 7th 6th street IMG 0073 looking north. There appears to be a 3 foot eroded

bank.

Picture 16 - May 7th 6th street IMG 0073 looking north

Picture 17 - 0075 same location May 7th 6th street

Picture 17 - 0075 same location May 7th 6th street

Lambton (south of 5th)

Picture 18 - May 6 IMG_ 0047 Lambton street (between 4th and 5th). Vertically eroded bank is

30 inches at maximum erosion.

Picture 18 - May 6 IMG_ 0047 Lambton street.

Picture 19 - IMG 48 May 6 same bank Lambton street from west.

Picture 19 - IMG 48 Lambton street from west

100 meters south of Huron feathers (HF at 3rd)

Picture 20 - May 6 IMG_0060 (CG) high hummock south of Huron feathers. West side of

hummock carved away by waves but vegetated hummock appears to be virtually untouched.

Picture 20 - May 6 IMG_0060 (CG) high hummock south of Huron

feathers

Picture 20 (January 13 2019 Paisley Lane) playground toy still anchored in sand

Picture 20 January 13 2019 Paisley Lane) playground toy

Picture 21 – (May 6 IMG_0061) 300 feet north of south washrooms (Paisley Lane) playground

toy uprooted ( compare to 20190113). January 13 concrete bases were under surface of sand.

May 6 completely out of ground. Indication of lost sand.

Picture 21 - May 6 IMG_0061 300 feet north of south washrooms (Paisley

Lane)

Paisley Street

Picture 22 - May 6 IMG_0062 right at south end washroom – east volleyball net post Colour

change 1 foot about sand – may be indicator of lost sand. But do not have a “before erosion”

picture.

Picture 22 - May 6 IMG_0062 right at south end washroom

Picture 22a May 20 (Paisley Lane) – east volleyball net post. Gray /brown interface is one foot

above sand level. Measurer finger is pointing at one foot on the tape. This is an indication that

the storms removed one foot of sand.

Picture 22a May 20 (Paisley Lane) – east volleyball net post

Picture 23 - May 6 IMG_0063 Same location (Paisley Lane) west volleyball post

Picture 23 - May 6 IMG_0063 Same location (Paisley Lane) west

volleyball post

Picture 24 - May 6 IMG_0063 west volleyball post blow-up of base of post. Suspect black/ tan

interface is high water marks of August 2017 and August 2018. Suspect tan/grey interface is

sand level before storms of 2019. More investigation is required before sand loss at this point

can be estimated.

Picture 24 - May 6 IMG_0063 cropped west volleyball post blow-up of

base of post

Picture 24a – paisley May 20 2019 west volley ball post. Measurer’s finger is at 2 feet above

sand. Black/ Beige interface is at 14 inches above sand level. Beige grey interface is 27”.

Indication is that 13 inches of sand has been lost.

Picture 24a – paisley May 20 2019 west volley ball post

Water levels

Water level was slightly lower January 2019 than August 2017 so is not likely a contributor to

the erosion of January 2019.

Just before the April 26, 2019 storm water level was only slightly higher (about 4 inches) than

August 2017 and so would have contributed a bit to erosion.

Summary

I believe that much or most erosion was from strong winds and waves April 26 2019.

The Bulldozing August 2017 removed vegetation, removed natural debris, left the beach flat,

smoothed the surface, removed hummocks, and filled in swales. All of which left the beach

very vulnerable to erosion. I submit that the erosion all along the beach was a lot worse

because of the 2017 grooming.

The erosion destroyed habitat by removing sand. It also damaged habitat by removing natural

debris and vegetation and by creating steep almost vertical ridges near shore in some places

which would be difficult for plovers especially young to traverse in search of food.

Who contravened the Act?

Corporations

37. If a corporation commits an offence under this Act, an officer, director,

employee or agent of the corporation who directed, authorized, assented to, acquiesced

in or participated in the commission of the offence is party to and guilty of the offence

and is liable on conviction to the punishment provided for the offence, whether or not

the corporation has been prosecuted for the offence. ESA 2007, c. 6, s. 37.

No formal determination has been made as to who authorized and directed the August 2017

bulldozing.

It is clear that council did not authorise or direct or have anything to do with the August/

September 2017 bulldozing and grooming.

There is evidence that Mayor Janice Jackson at very minimum “assented to” and “acquiesced

in” in the August 2017 bulldozing action.

Picture 25 is just south of Geoff Peach walkway during the august/ September 2017 bulldozing.

Ms. Jackson is in red shorts and green top.

Picture 25 is just south of Geoff Peach walkway during the august

/September 2017 bulldozing.

Picture 26 is just south of Geoff Peach walkway during the august/ September 2017 bulldozing.

Janice Jackson is in red shorts and red top.

Picture 26 is just south of Geoff Peach walkway during the august

/September 2017 bulldozing

Craig Gammie