A two-kilometre stretch of beach that protects Rondeau Bay from the at-times violent waters of Lake Erie is in danger of completely disappearing due to erosion.
Rondeau Bay—off the shores of the small southwestern Ontario community of Erieau and Rondeau Bay Provincial Park—is a relatively calm body of water frequented by recreational and commercial fishing boats, and swimmers.
The thin strip of sand, frequently referred to as the barrier beach, was historically used as a path from Rondeau Park to the lighthouse at the edge of the bay.
Sue Robert, the chair of the Erieau Community Association (ECA), says that while the beach has been slowly eroding for decades as a result of typical weather events, recent increasingly aggressive storms are dangerously speeding up the process.
“If the barrier beach disappears entirely and opens up access to Rondeau Bay, the waves from the lake will directly impact the village of Erieau and the Rondeau shores,” says Robert. “It will decimate more wetland and farmlands, as well as cottages and homes around the bay.”
Loss of barrier beach could impact at-risk wetlands, commercial fisheries
Rondeau Bay is home to coastal wetlands and habitat that are vital for the survival of species at risk, including spotted gar and spiny softshell turtles.
Over the last 150 years, the beach has been eroded by about 650 metres, resulting in the loss of more than 250 hectares of coastal wetlands, according to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Vidler
“There are people who say, ‘This is just nature,’” says Robert. “But at what point does it become so disastrous that we lose this habitat?”
But there is another cause for concern. As storms push the eroded barrier beach sand further into the bay, the build-up is hindering the ability for commercial fishing boats and large recreational vessels to navigate into the harbour.
“Some of the tug captains are saying it’s becoming difficult to turn into fishing docks,” says Jeff Vidler, another member of the ECA who runs a Facebook page called “Barrier Beach Breaks” to bring attention to the issue. “We’ve heard about people who are sailing grounding out because of the lack of depth in the water.”
ECA working to receive federal funding to repair the beach
Vidler and Robert say they’ve been working with conservation groups, research groups, and local governments to find a solution.
The association is interested in installing a stone break wall or something similar to allow the sand to pile back up and reestablish the beach.
In a statement, a spokesperson for local MP Dave Epp said that the MP met with Vidler and Robert, and is “liaising” with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Small Crafts and Harbour, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to coordinate efforts.
Recently, the Hillman Marshland in Leamington, Ont., was under a similar threat of wetland loss due to the deterioration of a barrier that protects against flooding. In August, Caldwell First Nation received $15 million in federal funding to repair the barrier.
Vidler and Robert are hopeful that with this precedent, a similar solution can be applied to Rondeau. They say that the association was recently contacted by a research group with the University of Waterloo who assisted with the Hillman Marshland situation.
“I think if they jump on board, it would lend credence to what we’ve already done,” says Robert.
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