8 www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Spring 2022 WATER LEVELS H20 2021 Extreme Water Levels: Impacts and Strategies Summary Report * GBA is working with the Georgian Bay Biosphere and the Township of the Archipelago to: develop in-depth information on septic systems; examine the design challenges/hazards faced for low soil level areas of the Canadian shield, such as Georgian Bay; and address the limited/inadequate alternatives permitted under the Ontario building code, which makes no provision for low soil conditions at coastal residences. In 2020, our joint GBA and Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) water levels symposium described how water levels are determined in Georgian Bay and the rest of the Great Lakes, dispelled several misconceptions so that we can focus on the real issues going forward, and answered a wide range of excellent questions from the audience. However, questions relating to the impacts of extreme water levels and strategies were put over to the GBF/GBA H2O 2021 Extreme Water Levels: Impacts and Strategies webinar series, each with a different focus. Webinar 1: What’s Happening? What’s New? ≥ Review of what has been happening with water levels over the last year – they are heading down now, but the updated projections show that going forward there will be more variability (i.e. higher highs and lower lows with more rapid transitions between highs and lows) ≥ Overview of updated information released on the longawaited Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) water levels projections study (expected March/April 2022) ≥ Introduction to the impressive Action Plan 2030 team and the work they have done advocating for the Canadian government to increase funding for key Great Lakes issues. This was expanded upon in Webinar 3 with a more detailed discussion on four of their recommendations that are most relevant to Georgian Bay, namely increased investment in: shoreline resiliency priority zones; LiDAR floodplain mapping, monitoring and modelling data; access to userfriendly climate change data and information; and support for natural, green infrastructure solutions ≥ Overview of the impacts on wetlands, flora, and fauna, and sustainability concerns around increasing water level variability and warming water Webinar 2: Shorelines and Shoreline Structures ≥ Detailed look at winds and waves: how the height of waves is determined and the impact of waves on shorelines in the context of higher water levels and more extreme storm events ≥ What to do and what not to do on your shorelines – why shoreline hardening is usually a bad idea (keep them natural) and how gentle slopes dissipate waves – the expected higher highs and lower lows need to be considered, but there are some strategies and techniques that can be applied to address shoreline issues ≥Why the high-water mark for coastal municipalities needs to be reviewed ≥ Challenges facing shoreline businesses (particularly marinas) that continue to make large investments to deal with increasing water levels variability to preserve infrastructure, access, parking and docks ≥ Recommendations on strategies to deal with your docks and discussion of the permitting process. As crib docks become less viable due to water level variability, the recommendation is to transition to floating docks Webinar 3: Septic Systems – Insurance and Planning – Coastal Infrastructure ≥ Rationale for why septic system design will need to be adapted to rising water levels for low-lying septic beds, including siting/relocating tile fields on higher ground and, in some cases, moving away from these gravity-fed septic systems to alternative technologies ≥ Ins and outs of these systems, how they work, how and why saturation of these systems occurs, and the impact saturation/flooding will have on your water quality* By Rupert Kindersley, Executive Director
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