The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority (LTVCA) has started the process of trying to restore Rondeau Barrier Beach to protect the shoreline and wetlands of Rondeau Provincial Park and the navigation channel to Lake Erie.
The LTVCA said historic high lake levels have "significantly" eroded Rondeau Barrier Beach and have "threatened" its ability to control sediment movement and to protect the bay.
The conservation authority said if the current trend continues, millions of dollars in low lying development along the Rondeau Bay shore could be subjected to severe erosion and flooding.
Randall VanWagner, LTVCA Manager of Conservation Lands and Services, said this environmental, recreational, commercial, and social issue must be addressed in the near future because the unique ecosystem of Rondeau Bay is at risk, the operation of Erieau harbour will continue to be compromised, and coastal wetlands will continue to be lost.
A committee is in the process of applying for funding from upper levels of government and is reaching out to stakeholders, such as cottagers, marinas, and the communities of Erieau and Shrewsbury, for input into future projects.
Consultant Peter Zuzek recently made a presentation citing that Rondeau Bay has lost almost 240 hectares of wetlands from 1955 to 2015 and gained more than 40 hectares of beach during the same time period.
He also said Seagull Island is migrating into the channel, there was a breach in the barrier beach in the summer of 2019, the east jetty is disconnected from shore due to erosion, and Rondeau Provincial Park is eroding and losing habitat for species at risk, such as the Spotted Gar.
The fuel dock and boat launch are also flooded because of high lake levels and the fishing fleet is affected by the wave exposure.
Zuzek said there's a dire need for community collaboration and engagement because of the diverse ownership of lands by private, municipal, provincial, and federal owners.