CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Forbes, D.L.; Parkes, G.S.; Taylor, R.B.; Thompson, K.; O'Reilly, C.; Liverman, D.G.; Catto, N.; and Bérubé, D.
Date : 2001.
Title : Coastal storm impacts in Atlantic Canada: Three major storms of the year 2000.
Publication : St. John's 2001. Geological Association of Canada - Mineralogical Association of Canada 2001 Joint Annual Meeting / l'Association géologique du Canada - l'Association minéralogique du Canada réunion annuelle conjointe. Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland, May 27-30 2001.
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Abstract
Three exceptional storms affected coastal communities in southeastern Canada during the year 2000, providing vivid illustrations of the variety and severity of coastal storm impacts and concern about the potential for exacerbated impacts in a future of global climate warming. A deep winter low (minimum 94.5 kPa) passed northward over eastern PEI on 21-22 January, causing record flooding in Northumberland Strait and severe damage from southwest Nova Scotia and northeast New Brunswick to southern Newfoundland. Suspected dynamic fetch produced exceptional waves at Port aux Basques NF, one cresting at least 15 m above low water, and severe wave damage was sustained along the Fundy, northeast mainland, and Cape Breton Island coasts of Nova Scotia. The extreme storm surge coinciding with perigean spring high tides exceeded previous record water levels by 0.4 m at Charlottetown PEI and approximately 0.7 m in southeast New Brunswick. Although sea ice limited wave action and protected the north shore of PEI, ice ride-up dislodged a lighthouse in PEI and devastated the wharf at Robichaud NB. Extraordinary ice pile-up along the NB coast overtopped coastal dunes and impacted homes. Hurricane Michael made landfall in southern Newfoundland on the evening of October 19 as a strong Category-1 hurricane. Although moving rapidly, coinciding with low tide, and less severe than Luis in 1995, this storm produced waves that overwashed and scoured the high boulder beach at Ship Cove, Placentia Bay. While hurricane-force winds persisted as the storm moved northeast the following day, coastal damage was limited. The remains of another storm with tropical characteristics intensified and then sat blocked for days south of Nova Scotia from October 29. Almost 18 hours of storm-force northeasterly winds in the southern Gulf generated significant wave heights up to 7 m and a storm surge of 1.6 m, causing severe erosion and infrastructure damage from northern PEI to northern New Brunswick. Severe washover occurred in places such as la Dune de Bouctouche NB, where low dunes on the proximal spit were completely erased. Beach downcutting of this severity increases coastal vulnerability to subsequent less severe storms, as observed in eastern Newfoundland following tropical storm damage in 1999. These events of 2000 provided a wake-up call to coastal stakeholders, demonstrating existing vulnerability and highlighting the need for development of effective adaptation strategies to deal with climate change and accelerated sea-level rise.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology