[ISL] "Charlottetown waterfront study looks at future flooding"

[rfmcdonald]

CBC News' Nancy Russell reports on a study suggesting ways Charlottetown can adapt to relatively limited flooding. This sounds like an interesting study. Does anyone on the Island know if it is publically available?

A new study of the Charlottetown waterfront looks at what wind, waves and sea level rise could mean in the present and into the future.

The report, commissioned by the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation or CADC, proposes ways to protect against flooding while also improving public access to the waterfront.

Ottawa's Coldwater Consulting based the report on what it calls the "latest and most reliable climate change scenarios," predicting flood risk along the Charlottetown waterfront by 2045 and 2090.

[. . .]

The report examines the current state of waterfront infrastructure from the Hillsborough Bridge to the end of the boardwalk in Victoria Park.

"If there's a weak link in the chain, then it can affect far beyond where that's actually at," said Ron Waite, CADC general manager.

One of the options is a large floating breakwater near the Charlottetown Yacht Club, but Waite says potential ice damage makes that a challenge because of the size of the structure that would be needed.

The report also proposes extending the waterfront boardwalk, elevating it where needed, to form a "ring dyke" that could protect the downtown area from flooding.

While an expensive idea, the report highlights how the expanded boardwalk could also "enhance access to and enjoyment of the waterfront".