Explanation of the Design

Contrary to what some people have been saying, you will note that there is no mistake in the design as already completed in Phase 1. Oceans & Fisheries approved the rocks going into the water and this detail is clearly shown on the Phase 2 drawings which Oceans and Fisheries have also approved. If they did not want the rocks going into the water, they would not have approved both Phase 1 and 2 design drawings.

Darcy Lightle, Sr. Biologist for Oceans and Fisheries was called about this detail for the Phase 1 of the project and he was O.K. with it. His intent on limited rock placement in the water was to minimize rocks going too far out into the lake due to concerns about loss of fish habitat. However, he said that if the extension was required for engineering purposes, then they would allow it. Also, he agreed that the rock extension into the water once covered an area occupied by sand and as a result, there would be no net loss of fish habitat. Darcy's last comments were that he was very impressed with the design and would be considering it for application elsewhere in the province.

The main engineering reason for having the rocks extending out into the water is to prevent them from being undermined by the wave action brought on by high winds. If the rocks were placed above the waterline against the slope, the sand at the base of the rocks would be pulled out from underneath and washed away. In the meantime, this undercutting action would cause instability in the rock structure and the rocks would eventually tumble into the lake in an irregular and uncontrolled pattern. This would create a mess and falling rocks would be potentially dangerous to anyone down below. Another reason for placing the rocks as low as possible away from the slope is so that the ice would ride overtop during spring breakup. If the rocks were to be placed higher against the slope, the ice would have a better chance at dislodging them.

The new design has three openings without rocks which will allow families to access the lake directly from the public access corridors at the top of the bank. Some cabin owners have voiced concerns that there would be no beach left upon completion of Phase 2, but in times of high water levels there was no beach at all anyway. The design of the berm does have a flat area that allows for some beach activities and this area will never be washed away.