Bruce Beach Cottagers' Association

Geoff Peach, The Coastal Centre

One of the big differences between Great Lakes coasts and ocean coasts is that during the winter, the shores of the Great Lakes turn to ice.  In fact Lake Erie, the shallowest of the Great Lakes, typically ices over during the mid-winter freeze.  On Lake Huron we rely on the coastline freezing up as protection from erosion.  Fall and winter storm patterns typically come from the northwest during this time period.  When winds blow across the lake they generate waves.  The strong winds that typically come out of the northwest during the fall and winter also blow across the widest expanse of open lake. As a result, these waves can build a lot of energy and they move across the lake. This means that the waves being generated can pack a wallop once they reach the shore.  Ice formation can be really beneficial in protecting the shore from these crashing waves.

However, during ice break up in the springtime, chunks of ice called ice rafts can actually aid the erosion process.  The ice rafts can act as projectiles that waves can crash into the beach or bluff prying sand and clay apart.  The amount of erosion that is assisted by floating ice depends on how stormy it is during ice break-up.  Higher lake levels can make this situation worse.

Ice cover also has an important effect on water levelson the lakes.  Ice cover can reduce the amount of evaporation from the lake.  The evaporation process is invisible but a very significant factor in the loss of water from the Great Lakes. During prime evaporation periods (fall and winter), the Lakes may lose 5-10 cm (1-2 inches) of surface water per week due to evaporation.  The most evaporation occurs when the Great Lakes are much warmer than the air moving across them, particularly in the early fall before ice forms on the lakes. The evaporation results in "lake effect" snowsthat are common to southwestern Ontario.  When, on the rare occasion, we have a complete freeze-over of Lake Huron, evaporation is much less, and our lake-effect snows are usually reduced.  The large size of Lake Huron and its depth requires a prolonged deep freeze for a freeze-over to occur.  Lake Erie, on the other hand, is shallow and relatively small, and regularly freezes over in winter.

Climate Changeprojections for Lake Huron point to warmer average temperatures in the region which could dramatically reduce ice cover.  Lake Huron and the other Great Lakes are already showing trends of warming. That could mean more frequent lake-effect snowfalls in our snowbelt areas, and the intense squalls experienced this past November may be a sample of what may become the norm.

Declining water levels, which are projected for the Great Lakes would at first seem to suggest that shoreline erosion would be less.  But the lack of shore ice during the winter could possibly offset this as storm waves would no longer be buffered by protective shore ice.

For more information on current ice conditions - http://www.ec.gc.ca/glaces-ice/default.asp?lang=En&n=D32C361E-1

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This location will be home to Communications and Fundraising Coordinator, Kristin Freiburger. Geoff Peach, the Coastal Resource Manager will continue to work from his home office, coming into the office for scheduled appointments. Since the weather along the Lake Huron shoreline can be hit or miss in the winter months, Kristin will be working varied hours at the office until mid-March. At this point the office will be open, Monday to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Before March, it would be best to make an appointment or call to make sure the office is open before coming in.

The Coastal Centre is planning to have its Official Grand Opening in the month of June. A committee has been put together and will soon start planning. Once more details have been determined, we will send out information. Plan to come help us celebrate the opening of our new office.

The Coastal Centre is pleased to be moving to a central lake community location. If there are any questions you might have and want them answered, feel free to stop by and we will be happy to help. As well, please do not hesitate to stop by and say hello. We are more than happy to give you a tour!

The Piping Plover Challenge

Inspiration comes in many shapes and sizes. For the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, inspiration came in nine year old, Annie Buckton.  In October, Nature Canada wrote an article about Annie’s work in raising money by selling her paintings for clean-up efforts in the Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill. This money would be going towards restoring the migratory homes of the small endangered shorebird, the Piping Plover. After reading this article, the Coastal Centre was excited to see a young person involved in the environment and was determined to help in her cause.

Over the month of November, the Coastal Centre approached local stakeholders informing them of Annie’s efforts.  The Coastal Centre was able to raise $850 for Annie’s project. On Tuesday, December 21, Matthew  Pearson, Chair of the Coastal Centre, presented a cheque to Annie at their office in Goderich.   “We were pleased to meet Annie and learn more about her work with the Piping Plovers,” Pearson said.  

Including the Coastal Centre’s cheque, about $1600 was raised during Annie’s fundraising campaign. The money will be forwarded on by Annie’s mother to Nature Canada. This money will then be presented to the US-based Audubon Society to aid in their clean-up and Plover protection efforts in the Gulf Coast.

Centre officials met Annie in December and learned about her motivations to get involved. “These birds have been nesting on the beach in front of our cottage for a few years now,” said Shelly Buckton, Annie’s Mother.  “When Annie heard about the oil spill in the Gulf Coast, and saw footage of Plovers being plucked out of the oil, things struck close to home and that’s when Annie decided to take action.”

After a 40 year absence along the Lake Huron shoreline, the piping plover returned to Sauble Beach in 2007. Since then, the Piping Plover has been successfully nesting there, bringing new fledglings each year.

“You always forget how something that happens so far away can have an impact here at home,” Pearson said. “These are things we need to remind ourselves and each other.” The Coastal Centre has been involved in the past with the Piping Plovers in the Sauble Beach and Oliphant area. It has incorporated Plover beach management strategies for the Town of South Bruce Peninsula, which manages Sauble Beach.

The Coastal Centre continues to collect donations for Piping Plover protection in the Gulf, or on Lake Huron shores.  Donors will receive a charitable tax receipt from the Centre. For more information about the Coastal Centre’s and Annie’s work, please contact Kristin at (519) 955-6269, or email:  coastalcentre@lakehuron.on.ca.

In Picture: (left) Matthew Pearson, (right) Annie Buckton

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Before the day ended, the students were taught about invasive species and how dune ecosystems are very sensitive. As many of these students are from the Port Franks area, they were very attentive to the information.

The dune grass planting was a huge success. We hope we can make this an annual project with classes along the Lake Huron shoreline. However, without funding this opportunity could not happen. If you are interested in helping to make this a possibility for classes through a personal donation, please contact Kristin at 519-955-6269.