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Taylor Beach to Weir's Beach: Anthropogenic Impact on Habitat:
This shoreline possesses a set of very different coastal land forms, each with their own unique assemblage of organisms. Very often in an area like this with high recreational potential, the impact is most pronounced in those areas where human use and modification has been prevalent.
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Under the cliffs at the north end of Taylor Beach, just south of the Witty's beach area, the effects of grazing and development on the top of the cliffs is evident in the increased slumping of soil and vegetation. |
As sea levels rise the risk to further beach erosion increases. |
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| Aerial photo credits :Integrated Land Management Bureau, GEOBC Spatial Analysis Branch: |
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Witty's Beach at the North end. |
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Development on property on the top of the bluff has allowed destabilization of the bluff and this massive slide. 2007. |
Clay deposits cover the intertidal zone for 20 to 50 meters shoreward in the fall of 2007. Deposits like this smother intertidal life. |
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A pebble beach was modified in recent years to provide a boat ramp for an individual property owners access. |
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| Weir's Beach |
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| The shorefront at Weir's beach has been significantly modified since 1980. |
The difference in the part of the berm that has received less impact from humans toward the north end is quite remarkable. |
A loose, unpacked berm can resist erosion in a heavy storm. |
Dune grass and rose bushes contribute to the ability of this northern section of the beach. |
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| In the middle section of the beach, one of the small lagoons still remains, although natural riparian areas around it have been filled in. |
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Introduced vegetation threatens to fill the remnant lagoon ecosystems, |
The small lagoon |
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| In the undergrowth, English Ivy spreads, smothering native plant species which would be much better at stabilizing shorelines. |
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The beach in this area remains relatively stable although remnants of the clay capping on the south section can be seen.This clay cap ends half way down the beach. In the late 1980's a developer tried to cap the berm with clay in order to make a picnic area. Residents protested and the job was ceased, but not before a portion of the beach had been capped with impermeable clay |
Further south, the clay capping becomes more obvious, and there is erosion right to its base. |
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| Lagoon and trailer park |
In front of the lagoon, a roadway was built and house trailers use the rental spaces. |
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On the berm, house trailers occupy the sensitive backshore areas. |
The roadway creates an impermeable berm, an invitation to storm damage in the future.. |
Further damage to the shoreline has been achieved by the dumping of large boulders, or rip rap. |
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| These heavy boulders have been deposited to build up the shore here to "protect" the owners property which has been built on the most sensitive area of the beach.Wave action against these immovable rocks has already resulted in loss of sand at the south end. Continued scouring by storm waves will further deteriorate the beach. |
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| Sewage from a fourplex is discharged directly into the lagoon, and no doubt seepage from surrounding septic fields adds to the nutrient load. This was at one time a tidal lagoon which has been modified to restrict tidal inflow by a flood gate. In the fall of 2008, with low rainfall through the late summer, this lagoon became very eutrophic, with too much organic material to consume, leading to anoxic conditions. (Low Oxygen levels). Permits for sewage outfall requirements vary in salt or fresh bodies of water, with a larger setback necessary in salt water. If this lagoon was deemed to be salt water, then it probably would not be allowed to contain a sewage outfall. |
Natural flushing of this logon would lead to a healthier ecosystem. Unfortunately a gate was installed under the roadway at the end of the trailer park which prevents full flushing of the lagoon on high storm tides.
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| View to the south of the beach covered in freshly brought in sea lettuce |
View to the north. |
As the sea lettuce piles up on the beach it decomposes. |
This mass contributes a disagreeable odour to the community |
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 Although the problem of elevated coliform levels and accumulation of rotting vegetation is partially natural, the condition is undoubtedly aggravated by the concentration of septic systems within the Weir's beach area. A calculation based on the figures below highlights the problem.
From an examination of the aerial photos, we can do a rough calculation of the volume of water that goes out through the Weir's beach watershed each day, carrying with it unknown quantities of nutrients and pollutants. Even with a best case scenario of houses no larger than three bedrooms, the yearly flow of water through the Weir's beach is over 29 million Litres.
| Approximate number of single family dwellings inside Sandgate Road |
13 |
X 4= |
52 |
X |
490 litres per day= |
25480 l/day |
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| Approximate number of trailers |
40 |
X 2= |
80 |
x |
490 litres per day= |
39200 l/day |
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| Approximate number of dwellings inside Wm. Head Road that have the same watershed |
13 |
X 3= |
39 |
x |
409 litre per day= |
15951 l/day |
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29,430,315 litres per year |
or about 6 and a half million gallons per year |
From the Environmental Protection Branch, the following reference points out the problem of septic systems insensitive areas.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/nps/BMP_Compendium/Municipal/OnSite/OnSite_Home.htm
Septic systems that are constructed in unsuitable locations or are subject to other limitations (poor or thin soils, inappropriate household size or habits, systems densities, age of systems, ground water flow volumes or direction, depth to ground water, inadequate tank size or disposal field length) have the potential to malfunction. Septic fields that are installed within close proximity to lake shores, wetlands, streams and other sensitive environments may result in contaminant discharges to the receiving waters.
Septic field effluent contains elevated nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) levels, and possibly pathogens such as bacteria (e.g., Campylobacter , Typhus and E. coli), parasites (e.g., Giardia lamblia) and viruses (e.g., Hepatitis A). In addition, depending on disposal practices of the operator or homeowner, small amounts of other contaminants such as oil and grease, metals (iron, manganese, lead, zinc and cadmium), pesticides and herbicides may be present.
The loadings of septic field effluent constituents to receiving waters will vary from the initial composition of septic effluent depending upon soil type and suitability of drainage areas. Generally, very little nitrogen is retained in soils compared to phosphorus. Fecal coliforms can be transported large distances under saturated conditions or in coarse gravel than in an ideal soil of lower permeability.
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In this file, the deterioration of the ecosystem values on Weir's Beach is traced using aerial photos from 1921. |
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This site has been created to represent the contiguous ecosystems of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve/Marine Protected Area and for the use of the Green Blue Spaces sub committee of the Metchosin Environmental Advisory Select Committee ( MEASC).
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