743
These phenomena were detected early and our monitoring program was modified
as a result. Thus, having a monthly monitoring program (during the summers) of
the biotic communities currently in place was key to some of our discoveries.
4. The hydrodynamic model used for this project allowed us to implement a successful design that met the required criteria. The openings functioned as desired
and sediment was deposited to the greatest degree where expected. Our estimates
of how much sediment would be deposited, based on the empirical work of van
Proosdij et al. (2000, 2006a, b), were demonstrated to be reasonable. We are
confident that the same approaches could be used to design another restoration
project in a similar environment.
21.5.2 Thoughts Related to Climate Change Adaptation Plans
(for Communities and Municipalities)
Along the coastlines of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, there are 364 km of dikes
which protect more than 32,000 ha of agricultural land (van Proosdij and Page
2012). These dikes also protect other important infrastructure (including roads, rail
lines, businesses and homes) – the loss of which would have major implications for
public health and safety as well as consequential economic ramifications. Regional
studies are being conducted to evaluate areas most susceptible to the greatest flooding risk (Daigle 2014; van Proosdij and Page 2012; Webster et al. 2011, 2012) as
well as economic risks for these areas (Wilson et al. 2012). An added concern is
increasing costs associated with maintaining dikes and their associated infrastructure that protect these coastal resources, which will continue to increase with sea
level rise (Singh et al. 2007; van Proosdij and Page 2012). Thus, a reasonable
response (adaptation) to climate change and sea level rise in our area is to move
dikes inland and restore the interdike areas to salt marsh to help minimize erosion
and flooding (French 2006, Lindham and Nicholls 2010) and therefore reduce the
lifecycle costs of maintaining dikes.
The success of our project will hopefully inform community-based adaptation
planning that is already underway in our area. Communities most vulnerable to salt
water flooding are already building partnerships with non-government organizations (like DUC), various departments of municipal, provincial and federal governments, and universities (Marlin 2015; Marlin et al. 2016). This community-level
approach has resulted in reports, mapping tools (e.g., http://arcgis.mta.ca/toolkit/),
and public information sessions (Marlin 2013; Lieske et al. 2014; Lieske 2015). In
some cases, salt marsh restoration has been identified and agreed upon, based on
discussions with many stakeholders, as one of the tools that will be used to adapt to
climate change and sea level rise-related flooding risk (Marlin 2013). Although
resistance to salt marsh restoration remains, because of desires by some people to
keep land for its current use (Marlin et al. 2007), changes in land use are likely
inevitable. Given that any potential project should go through a cost/benefit review
21 Returning the Tide to Dikelands in a Macrotidal and Ice-Influenced Environment…
These phenomena were detected early and our monitoring program was modified
as a result. Thus, having a monthly monitoring program (during the summers) of
the biotic communities currently in place was key to some of our discoveries.
4. The hydrodynamic model used for this project allowed us to implement a successful design that met the required criteria. The openings functioned as desired
and sediment was deposited to the greatest degree where expected. Our estimates
of how much sediment would be deposited, based on the empirical work of van
Proosdij et al. (2000, 2006a, b), were demonstrated to be reasonable. We are
confident that the same approaches could be used to design another restoration
project in a similar environment.
21.5.2 Thoughts Related to Climate Change Adaptation Plans
(for Communities and Municipalities)
Along the coastlines of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, there are 364 km of dikes
which protect more than 32,000 ha of agricultural land (van Proosdij and Page
2012). These dikes also protect other important infrastructure (including roads, rail
lines, businesses and homes) – the loss of which would have major implications for
public health and safety as well as consequential economic ramifications. Regional
studies are being conducted to evaluate areas most susceptible to the greatest flooding risk (Daigle 2014; van Proosdij and Page 2012; Webster et al. 2011, 2012) as
well as economic risks for these areas (Wilson et al. 2012). An added concern is
increasing costs associated with maintaining dikes and their associated infrastructure that protect these coastal resources, which will continue to increase with sea
level rise (Singh et al. 2007; van Proosdij and Page 2012). Thus, a reasonable
response (adaptation) to climate change and sea level rise in our area is to move
dikes inland and restore the interdike areas to salt marsh to help minimize erosion
and flooding (French 2006, Lindham and Nicholls 2010) and therefore reduce the
lifecycle costs of maintaining dikes.
The success of our project will hopefully inform community-based adaptation
planning that is already underway in our area. Communities most vulnerable to salt
water flooding are already building partnerships with non-government organizations (like DUC), various departments of municipal, provincial and federal governments, and universities (Marlin 2015; Marlin et al. 2016). This community-level
approach has resulted in reports, mapping tools (e.g., http://arcgis.mta.ca/toolkit/),
and public information sessions (Marlin 2013; Lieske et al. 2014; Lieske 2015). In
some cases, salt marsh restoration has been identified and agreed upon, based on
discussions with many stakeholders, as one of the tools that will be used to adapt to
climate change and sea level rise-related flooding risk (Marlin 2013). Although
resistance to salt marsh restoration remains, because of desires by some people to
keep land for its current use (Marlin et al. 2007), changes in land use are likely
inevitable. Given that any potential project should go through a cost/benefit review
21 Returning the Tide to Dikelands in a Macrotidal and Ice-Influenced Environment…