Tag Archives: weirs beach

Post North-easterly Storm on Weir’s beach, Dec 2014

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During the past few weeks, we have experienced several storms out of the north east at high tide. These images were taken to document some of the on-going problems from the extensive rip-rapping and seawall construction on that beach. See this page for summer 2013 images for comparison.

2014-12-26 weirserosion2

The solid sea-wall built only last year will lead to increased scouring and removal of sand. Unfortunately it will not only affect the crown land property in front of the wall, but the crown land foreshore adjacent to this property .

 

2014-12-26 weirserosin

Recent storms have dislodged many of the boulders near the south end of the beach. Note the rubble foreground which was previously sand beach.

2014-12-26 controlgate

This concrete control gate was built many years ago to control flooding into a lagoon. The rip-rap boulders around it have been disturbed by wave action.

2014-12-26 weirsbeachwidth

Site A= south end of the beach-sand eroded from base of rip-pap wall. Site B The border of where the rip-rap ends and the natural beach (going northward,) begins. C=the widened sand beach area backed by the natural beach. Scouring of the sand does not occur as it does further south on the beach.

2014-12-26 natural-portion

The berm on the North end of Weir’s beach is in a more natural state with logs and debris thrown up by storms. The and natural beach vegetation and debris absorbs the impact of the ocean energy and no scouring of the beach sand has occurred. This will lead to long-term beach stability and erosion-resistance.

See other posts and references on hardening of the shorelines by clicking on links below.
See this file on early pictures of Weir’s beach

New Seawall on Weir’s Beach

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Over the summer of 2013, a new seawalll was built at the south end of Weir’s beach. The purpose of the wall is not obvious, other than to create a walkway to the ocean for the residence above.
The provincial government owns the ocean floor and the foreshore (the area between the low water level and the natural boundary) along Metchosin’s Coastline. This structure sits within this foreshore area, as there is sand at it’s base,  so it is questionable how this shoreline modification was permitted.

UPDATE:

  •  Under the General  Marine Shoreline policies desired works require application to the appropriate Provincial/and or Federal agencies responsible.  This particular property located at 5289 William Head Road was able to proceed under the following conditions: 
  • 1. Requirements of the Department of Fisheries & Oceans must be fulfilled.
  • 2. Any work below the high water mark must have the approval of the Ministry Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations
  • 3.  Work was  conducted in April according to the measures outlined in the Ryzuk Geotechnical Report dated March 7, 2013 and the report by Lehna Malmkvist, Swell Environmental Consulting Ltd., March 8, 2013

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Readers are recommended to read all parts of the publication below before attempting any alterations on shorefront property:

Coastal Shore Stewardship: A Guide for Planners, Builders and Developers on Canada’s Pacific Coast

Another reference on hardening the shorelines states the problem rather plainly: “Hard structures, especially vertical walls, often create conditions that lead to failure of the structure. In time, the substrate of the beach coarsens and scours down to bedrock or a hard clay. The footings of bulkheads are exposed, leading to undermining and failure. … Failed bulkheads and walls adversely impact beach aesthetics, may be a safety or navigational hazard, and may adversely impact shoreline ecological functions.”

southendstairnorth

View of the seawall from the south.

southendstairway

View of the seawall from the beach directly in front.

seawallfrombeach

View of sea wall from the north.