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Friday, July 30, 2010

Local Flooding a Symptom of Climate Change

According to Nova Scotia’s Department of Environment, climate change is more than a warming trend. The increasing temperatures will lead to changes in many aspects of our weather, such as wind patterns, the amount and type of precipitation, and the types and frequency of severe weather events that may be expected to occur in our province. Such climate change could have far-reaching and unpredictable environmental, social and economic consequences.

In Canada such environmental stresses could cause problems with where we grow our food and how we transport it; deep changes in infrastructure, community designs and cause regional vuneralbility. We are not prepared for any of this!!
Any politician that is listening to not only the scientists but also the local people will know what will happen if the dykes on the tantramar marshes give way to Bay of Fundy. Most of the marsh will be under water and Nova Scotia could become separated from the mainland for a period of time possibly forever.

Most scientists feel that there will be up to a metre rise in the oceans during our lifetime. This will also cause a rapid change in our coastal areas, our geography and could hold significant consequences. This is a period when Mother Nature takes over and should be a matter of urgency with all three levels of government.

Just last week, after the flooding in Nappan, the County Council decided it will be calling on the province to replace the existing aboiteau on the Nappan River with a new, larger structure that would be able to handle an increasing amount of water. Some people in the area felt that the debris in the area of the dam caused the flooding; however, if you think about it – the flood waters brought the debris to the dam area.

During the storm that ensued on July 10th, more than 90 mm of rain fell on the area. There were flood alerts issued the night before, by Cindy Day, during the CTV news, for Cumberland County. The localized flooding closed the Smith Road and flooded farmer’s fields stranding cattle.

In the past the rebuilding and the maintaining of the dykes was the job of the federal government; however, in 1967 the responsibility of maintaining the dykes and aboiteaux was deemed solely that of the province. Last week, Doug Bacon, the farmer whose cattle became stranded, and area resident Ben Griffin spoke to the County Council urging them to lobby the province to widen the aboiteau and to urge the federal government to again become involved in maintaining the dykes on the marsh near Amherst.

A United Nations climate report last year described Nova Scotia and New Orleans as areas that have important highway and rail infrastructure located on or behind dyke systems that will provide progressively less protection unless raised on an ongoing basis. Strengthening our dyke system may be the only way to avert disaster in the future so we will not leave our children with a mess to clean up.

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