Patrick L. Lawrence

Natural hazards of shoreline bluff erosion: a case study of Horizon View, Lake Huron

Abstract Assessment of hazard of erosion of shoreline bluffs requires an understanding of the natural processes and human use in these high risk areas. As an important component associated with erosion and natural evolution bluff shorelines, alongshore sediment transport is an essential process in defining the hazard associated with bluff erosion. The objective of this study is the integration of an understanding of alongshore sediment transport into a proposed management framework for cohesive bluff shorelines. A study of a ten kilometre area along the southeastern Lake Huron shoreline, at the cottage community of Horizon View, north of Goderich, Ontario examines the natural and human components which have led to the development of bluff erosion hazards. Although dominant sediment transport is north to south alongshore, the pattern of wave refraction during south and southwest waves, suggests frequent northward transport of material from the 30 meter high bluffs at the site. Examination of beach sediments and bluff conditions support this finding and indicate long term sediment supply and bluff instability. Planning of future development at this location must appreciate the potential for continued bluff erosion and the study results suggest that when combined with other factors such as wave energy, bluff morphology, groundwater conditions, vegetation cover, land uses and impacts of fluctuating lake levels, studies of alongshore sediment transport can be a useful tool to assist in management of cohesive coastlines and understanding the natural hazard of bluff erosion in developed coastal areas. A management framework for cohesive bluffs attempts to integrate an understanding of natural processes with human uses and land use policies in order to identify, assess and select a preferred management option reflecting this understanding.

Integrated coastal zone management and the Great Lakes

Abstract Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) has developed over the last several years as a major international initiative resulting from the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. The concept is based on an attempt to develop an uniform management framework for a comprehensive approach to all the sectoral activities that effect the coastal zone. The development of Great Lakes coastal (or shoreline) management plans by the US state governments and the province of Ontario largely fail to address the range of issues and mechanisms considered as essential components of ICZM. The preparation of management plans needs to reflect a stronger attempt to develop a broader ecosystem approach with linkages to human activities and impacts and address the variety of urban and rural land use concerns characteristic of the Great Lakes shoreline.

Development of Great Lakes shoreline management plans by Ontario conservation authorities

The Great Lakes shoreline in Ontario is subject to severe flooding and erosion due to frequent high water level periods and storm events leading to wind and wave action. After extensive property damages in 1985 and 1986, the province established a shoreline management program to be administered by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. A key component of this program is the development of Great Lakes shoreline management plans by Ontario conservation authorities. A review of three such plans reveals a focus on understanding the range and frequency of shoreline flooding and erosion, and the use of land use regulations and shoreline protection structures to reduce the impact from these hazards. Limited attention and responses are provided for the range of issues and concerns that occur in these shoreline areas such as ecosystem management, species and habitat protection, and water quality. A lack of consistency, enforcement, monitoring and coordination occurs in the provincial program which has also recently been affected by related land use and environmental planning initiatives and government financial restraints.

Land‐use planning reform in Ontario: Implications for great lakes shoreline management

Recent planning reform in Ontario has focused on an interest in ecosystem based land‐use planning and management and will have significant impacts on the provincial Great Lakes shoreline management program. Since the high water levels on the Great Lakes during 1985/86, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and local conservation authorities (CAs) have been developing provincial policy and management plans to reduce property damage from flooding and erosion that occurs during frequent high‐water‐level events. The program reflects the long‐standing interest in use of municipal land‐use zoning regulations to control shoreline development in areas prone to flooding and erosion. Provincial land‐use planning reform underway since 1991 will have important implications by requiring a greater focus on land‐use and environmental issues. Important lessons can be learned from the experience in Ontario with regard to coastal zone management in other regions where land‐use planning can be greater linked to e...

Achieving Teamwork: Linking Watershed Planning and Coastal Zone Management in the Great Lakes

A common challenge within coastal management is how to best integrate watershed planning into regional efforts intended to address critical coastal issues, especially those related to water resources and water quality. To examine this challenge two case studies of watershed planning efforts from the coastal environ of Lake Erie have been selected for comparative review. The preparation of a watershed restoration plan for the Maumee Area of Concern (AOC) in northwest Ohio required the assessment of coastal management measures for the Lake Erie portion of the watershed. For the Long Point region, Ontario, on the north shore of Lake Erie, separate planning initiatives for coastal management and watershed planning have evolved over the last two decades. However, what are the best means to ensure that efforts to address water resources are linked between the often focused but distinct planning approaches for coastal and watershed areas within a common management regime? Can a more effective and efficient planning regime be defined to ensure that there exists a consistent and coordinated management approach? The experiences from the Maumee AOC and Long Point region suggest that a consideration of careful coordination policies is needed and the coastal management should be strongly linked to efforts to undertake broader planning objectives within their respective watersheds.

Ontario‐great lakes shoreline management: An update

The growth of international experience with integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 provides an opportunity to apply new concepts to assist a variety of coastal regions facing similar management concerns and issues. Significant political and social changes within the province of Ontario in Canada are resulting in important and fundamental impacts on existing Great Lakes shoreline management policies and programs. Reforms to the Planning Act alter the role of the provincial government in land use planning and place increased responsibilities with local municipalities. Funding cutbacks and program reductions have removed staff and support from the Great Lakes Shoreline Management Program, endangering its very future. Recent management initiatives by the Toronto Waterfront Regeneration Trust suggest the potential for the application of concepts and principles from ICZM on the Great Lakes. There is a need for improved leadership and ...

Unmanned Systems and Managing from Above: The Practical Implications of UAVs for Research Applications Addressing Urban Sustainability

The development and widespread use of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), such as quadcopters with GoPro cameras, is leading a revolution in a wide range of hobby, commercial and potential research applications of the technology. Within urban areas the variety and pace of changes occurring with both human and natural systems have significant impacts on efforts to address and manage sustainability. A wide range of opportunities and challenges exist in considering how UAVs may effectively be used as a spatial tool in examining urban areas, including buildings, infrastructure, ecosystem features and processes, natural areas, and environmental health. This chapter examines the technical, practical, policy and legal implications of the use of UAVs to assess and monitor urban sustainability and includes highlighting examples of recent research applications. Uses of scale, resolution, accuracy and reliability are noted along with how improving technologies and the growth in the widespread familiarity and use of UAVs represent an expanding field for urban research applications. Challenges including privacy, federal regulations governing the commercial use of UAVs are discussed. A series of recommendation research applications are presented in terms of the greatest potential where UAVs can be employed to further research, understanding, and decision-making in the area of urban sustainability.

Use of Geospatial Technology for Oil Spill Response Planning in the Western Basin of Lake Erie

This study reviews existing plans and proposes a development process for geospatially enabled oil spill protection strategies in the Western Lake Erie basin. Geospatially enabled protection strategies take advantage of existing data and the capabilities of a GIS to develop variations of protection strategies to allow for strategic changes to plans as a result of seasonal or meteorological conditions. It also allows the analysis, display and distribution of geospatial data in a manner that meet the different needs of planners, responders and incident managers. Data distribution options are discussed, including multiple paper and electronic publication options including, but not limited to Adobe Acrobat, GEOPDF, ArcReader, Google Earth and ArcIMS to make data available in the appropriate format to all personnel who require it.

The Application of GIS in Watershed Planning: The Case of the Western Lake Erie Basin

The Western Lake Erie Basin has been targeted as a major contributor of non-point source pollution into Lake Erie largely due to its predominant land use; agriculture. An increased use of GIS among planners in watershed related issues is needed in order to improve their decision-making capabilities to address the overall health of the watershed. An online GIS system had been created for data sharing and management across the Western Lake Erie Basin. The object of this study was to conduct a survey examining the usage of GIS across the Western Lake Erie Basin in order to advance the knowledge of civic leaders, agency administrators, and planners involved in managing the watershed. Survey participants were asked about their current use of GIS, spatial data resources, data distribution, data sharing, data exchange, and future use of GIS. The survey analysis indicated that while the current online GIS system was a good start, there needed to be more training on how to use GIS among the watershed planning community.

GIS and Remote Sensing Applications for Watershed Planning in the Maumee River Basin, Ohio

The Maumee River watershed is the largest drainage basin that discharges into the Great Lakes. Although the watershed is largely a rural landscape, several major urban-industrial cities, including Fort Wayne and Toledo are located along the river. Many water quality concerns are present, especially non-point rural runoff that contributes significant amounts of sediment into the Maumee River. There is an important need to collect, organize and assess the available information on the watershed conditions and to better determine the status of the changes with land uses, crop rotation, and implementation of conservation tillage practices within this watershed. A partnership between the University of Toledo and US Department of Agriculture NRCS lead to several GIS and remote sensing products including annual land cover and crop rotations via remote sensing techniques, establishment of a Maumee Watershed Project Area GIS database, and providing educational and informational outreach with other project partners, resource managers, and the general public.