Fred Baechler Chief Hydrogeologist, Senior Hydrologist ADI Ltd MONITORING SEA LEVEL RISE – BRAS D’OR LAKES: NEED FOR WESTERN SCIENCE AND TEK.

Fred BaechlerChief Hydrogeologist, Senior Hydrologist

ADI Ltd

MONITORING SEA LEVEL RISE – BRAS D’OR LAKES:NEED FOR WESTERN SCIENCE AND TEK

PRESENT DAY

FUTURE ?

WHAT IS THE SEA LEVEL RISE ISSUE?

9,000 YEARS AGO

6,000 YEARS AGO

Paleogeography of Atlantic Canada 13-0 kyr

After J. Shaw, et al , 2006 GSC open file report

IS THIS A TOTALLY NEW ISSUE – OR HAVE THE LAKES ENCOUNTERED THIS BEFORE?

INFERRED POSITION OF COASTLINE DURING HIGHEST SEA

LEVEL OF LAST INTERGLACIAL

(after Grant, 1994)

INCONVENIENT TRUTH ( melting of Larson ice shelf or melting of Greenland ice cap – rise in sea level of approximately 7 m)

FUTURE?

IF THE LAKES HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE – WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO US NOW?

MAIN PRESSURE – EVERYONE WANTS WATERFRONT PROPERTYAND TO BUILD ALONG THE SHORELINE

BARACHOIS PONDS – BRAS D’OR ESTUARYData courtesy of the Bras d’Or Stewardship Society

Over 400 barachois ponds alongThe shores of the estuary

BUT THE IPCC IS ONLY PREDICITING AN APPROXIMATELY 0.2 TO 0.5 M RISE BY 2100 -

SO IS SEA LEVEL RISE REALLY A BIG PROBLEM NOW?

IN CAPE BRETON NATURAL RISE IN SEA LEVEL IS ~ 0.3m/100 yr

PROBLEM – ALREADY STARTING TO NOTICE HIGHER THAN EXPECTED CHANGES IN SEA LEVEL – ARE THEY A RESULT

OF CLIMATE CHANGE – OR NATURAL VARIATIONS?

North SydneyTidal Station

Rise of ~ 0.01 m /yr;(by 2100 would be ~ 1m)

RISING GROUNDWATER LEVELS

Digital Terrain Image Courtesy of NS Dept Natural Resources

Rise of ~0.06 m/yr;(By 2100 would be 5.7 m)

FLOODING BARACHOIS’

2008

MID 1930’S

ACTION ITEM: REQUEST ELDERS AND OTHERS LIVING AROUND THE LAKESTO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SHORELINES EXHIBITING FLOODING and/or EROSION

THEY HAVEN’T SEEN BEFORE

FIRST INDICATION OF CHANGE – AID IN SUPPORTING SHORELINE PLANNING

INTERACTION BETWEEN WS AND TEK

INVOLVE STAKEHOLDERS