S2 | Rewind Design | E10 Coastal Protection with Amanda Kellett from Tatham Engineering
Amanda Kellett
Coastal Protection
As the crystal-clear waters of Georgian Bay erode the rugged shores, the need for coastal protection becomes more apparent than ever. The bay, an ecological gem nestled within the Great Lakes region, boasts unparalleled beauty and biodiversity that must be safeguarded for future generations.
Welcome to Episode 10 of Rewind Design Season 2! If you are brand new to this podcast, welcome! My name is Katy McNabb and I am a registered Interior Designer working in Ontario’s Cottage Country. I am on a mission to share sustainable ways of building, promote green energy and document the history of the Cottage Country.
On this week’s episode, we discuss shoreline management practices with an industry expert, Amanda Kellett, from Tatham Engineering. We speak about the firm's extensive history and understand its contributions to various engineering fields such as land development, municipal engineering, structural and water resources engineering.
We delve into an array of engaging topics including risk mitigation, design adaptations, and protection measures that span across boathouses, docks, and shorelines. Amanda discusses insights into the world of shoreline protection and erosion mitigation, exploring traditional methods and uncovering innovative, nature-based solutions. We go deeper, discussing the incorporation of 'gray-green' practices, the effectiveness of vegetative revetments as well as the resilience of shoreline vegetation.
IN THIS WEEK’S EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
Shoreline protection structure design, repair and rehabilitation
Design of nature-based shoreline protection
Eco-Shoreline Pilot project in Collingwood
Here is a quick summary of Tatham Engineering:
Tatham Engineering is a team of multi-disciplinary project managers, engineers, technical staff and industry professionals who have been challenged to provide consulting engineering, design and construction services relating to the fields of Coastal, Land Development, Municipal, Structural (Buildings and Bridges), Transportation, Water Resources, Water & Wastewater, Mechanical and Electrical engineering. (https://www.tathameng.com/about/)
LISTEN TO OUR INTERVIEW BELOW!
ECO SHORELINE PILOT PROJECT
In this week’s episode with Amanda, we discuss specifically the Eco Shoreline project in Collingwood. All photos in this blog post are of this groundbreaking project!
“Together with the Environment Network and the Town of Collingwood, Tatham completed a shoreline restoration pilot project at Sunset Point Park – a scenic and popular waterfront park that is well-loved by the community. The pilot project was an effort to determine the feasibility of using “nature based” shoreline protection approaches, which offer a greener alternative to traditional use of boulders, armour stone, or shore walls.
The project idea was conceived after the Saugeen Ojibway Nation – who are consulted on all MNRF works permits in their traditional territory – encouraged consideration for greener shoreline protection practices.
The installation is a “large woody debris” revetment, consisting of cut cedar trees that were anchored into the shoreline bank, emulating the protection that is naturally provided by driftwood on beaches. We believe this to be the first such installation in Georgian Bay, however, this technique has been successful in the Pacific Northwest. The project was funded by the provincial government under the Great Lakes Local Action Fund.
Alongside the Environment Network, Tatham will continue to assess and monitor the project to determine if this novel approach can be applied in other locations. We are proud to have forward thinking clients who are eager to partner on new ideas and are we are excited that this project grew into an opportunity for innovation and community involvement. “
https://www.tathameng.com/projects/coastal/sunset-point-park-eco-shoreline-pilot/
General Questions for Amanda
Interview with Amanda Kellett - Climate Resilience and Sustainability Manager
Where are you from + how long have you been working in the engineering industry?
I grew up in Oshawa but now live in Barrie and have been in Central Ontario for almost 20 years. I have been working in the engineering industry for just over 20 years. I started my career in Toronto, working with the City of Toronto and moved a couple years later to the Green River in Washago. I later moved to Barrie, where I now live with my family.
What inspired you to study Coastal Resources Engineering? Can you describe to the listeners what your degree entails?
My degree is in Water Resources Engineering, which deals with surface water, including things like managing stormwater and assessing floodplains. After working in this field for about 10 years, in large part because of the shoreline areas we serve, I became interested in coastal engineering and did some graduate courses and worked with a professor at Queen’s University to develop that expertise. Coastal engineering involves assessing waves and other shoreline processes to figure out where development or infrastructure might be at risk of damage from shoreline hazards like flooding, erosion and ice and designing measures to protect against these hazards.
Can you speak a little about Tatham Engineering and the work that it encompasses
Tatham Engineering is a civil engineering consulting firm, we have been around for 34 years and have 5 offices across Central Ontario. Our clients range from homeowners to larger scale land developers, and on the public side we work for both small and larger municipalities.
Can you describe your role in the company as Climate Resilience and Sustainability Manager?
Development activities, infrastructure design and rehabilitation, aggregate extraction and flood protection works. Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process, Stormwater Management Master Plans and Master Drainage Plans, water resources regulatory requirements. Our climate resilience and sustainability group is relatively new. We support all of our departments in incorporating sustainability and resilience in their designs. This includes accounting for climate change effects on flooding, extreme heat, wind and considering appropriate design changes to avoid future risk to people and property.
How many members of the Tatham Engineering team are there?
We have over 175 staff across our 5 offices, including engineers, geoscientists, technologists, technicians, and a range of support staff.
100M OF SHORELINE PROTECTED
Together with the Environment Network and the Town of Collingwood, Tatham completed a shoreline restoration pilot project at Sunset Point Park – a scenic and popular waterfront park that is well-loved by the community. The pilot project was an effort to determine the feasibility of using “nature based” shoreline protection approaches, which offer a greener alternative to traditional use of boulders, armour stone, or shore walls.
In relation to Cottage Country
What areas of Cottage Country do you work in + what are the main sectors of Tatham Engineering?
Our core service area covers Central Ontario, including Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay, parts of Lake Huron and the Muskoka Lakes.
The disciplines we work in include municipal engineering, land development, structural, water and wastewater, transportation, mechanical and electrical, hydrogeology, air and noise, climate resilience, water resources and coastal engineering.
Can we speak about the following types of projects?
Shoreline restoration projects, custom cottages, boat houses and marinas
We do a lot of work along the waterfront in cottage country. That ranges from structural support for a new custom cottage or boathouse, to completing shoreline hazard studies for cottage owners to determine where they might be at risk from shoreline flooding and erosion. Where shoreline erosion poses a risk to a cottage, we might design a shoreline protection structure – like a stone revetment or shorewall to provide protection. We also work with private marina operators and municipalities to design docks, boat ramps and protection structures.
Growing focus on climate resilience and sustainability
Particularly along shorelines, climate resilience and sustainability are incredibly important. These areas are at high risk of damage due to changes in climate, which was demonstrated during the high-water levels in the Great Lakes in 2019/2020 and the widespread flooding and erosion damage that resulted. At the same time, shorelines are quite vulnerable to environmental damage and the traditional approaches to shoreline protection, like hardening natural shorelines with concrete or steel walls, can have negative effects on natural shoreline processes. Shorelines are dynamic by nature, and they work best when they are left alone. This isn’t always possible because of existing development and infrastructure that needs to be protected, but we can all make better choices – whether it’s building farther away from the shoreline, keeping shorelines in their natural condition as much as possible or choosing a softer “nature based” shoreline protection approach where you can’t avoid the need to alter the shoreline.
Why is sustainability important to Tatham Engineering?
We recognize that we are in a climate crisis, and it will take changes at every level to deal with the situation. As engineers, it is our professional responsibility to work in the public interest and to preserve public safety. Considering sustainability and climate resilience is necessary to do that. Our corporate philosophy revolves around enhancing our communities, and sustainability is an essential part of that work.
Sustainability is a broad term. Can you explain the specific sustainable practices and technologies you utilize in your projects?
ie materiality, energy use, durability, heating/cooling costs, renewable energy, material choices, water conservation, lessening impact on the environment
Sustainability is a very broad term, and it has different applications to different projects but generally in our projects, it means considering lower impact options for site design, water efficiency, materials and resources, and energy use.
For shoreline projects specifically, it means prioritizing avoiding disturbance and aiming to use natural materials and approaches where disturbance is required. This isn’t always possible, like in high-risk settings, but we can always take small steps in that direction even when wholesale adoption isn’t on option.
SIMPLE, NATURAL SOLUTION
The installation is a “large woody debris” revetment, consisting of cut cedar trees that were anchored into the shoreline bank, emulating the protection that is naturally provided by driftwood on beaches. We believe this to be the first such installation in Georgian Bay, however, this technique has been successful in the Pacific Northwest. The project was funded by the provincial government under the Great Lakes Local Action Fund.
Coastal Protection (shoreline restoration)
Can you briefly describe your general process from start to finish for a shoreline restoration project.
We always start with a discussion with the landowner to understand what they want to achieve. We would then review the local shoreline conditions through visiting the site end reviewing available maps and survey data that help us to understand the local conditions. We generally complete wave modelling to understand what wave conditions can be expected under a set of design conditions (how big are the waves? how much energy do they have? how will they act when they break along the shoreline? etc.). With this information, we can then design the right shoreline restoration for the given site conditions and to meet the clients needs. We are usually involved with permitting, as there are a number of permits required from various agencies when you are working in and around the water.
How would you describe/define sustainable engineering in terms of coastal protection?
What are some standards in the industry that you see that are maybe not so friendly to the ecosystems versus standards you have?
The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) although American, has produced a lot of the industry standards when it comes to coastal engineering. Traditionally this has prioritized shoreline hardening as the preferred approach, but more recently “Engineering with Nature” is a new guide developed by an international group led by the USACE that gives guidance on options for nature-based shoreline protection and how to design them.
In terms of legislation, the Lake Simcoe Protection Act has some of the most rigorous protections for shoreline areas in Canada.
Can we speak about this project - Sunset Point Eco Shoreline Pilot
https://www.tathameng.com/projects/coastal/sunset-point-park-eco-shoreline-pilot/
“nature based” shoreline protection approaches, which offer a greener alternative to traditional use of boulders, armor stone, or shore walls.
We worked with the Town of Collingwood in 2019 and 2020 to complete emergency repairs of shoreline damage at Sunset Point Park, which is an important recreation area in the Town. The emergency repairs required the use of stone revetment and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, who comment on all Crown Lands work permit applications in their traditional territory, asked that we consider softer shoreline protection approaches in future projects. This inspired the Sunset Point Eco-Shoreline Pilot Project, which involved the construction of a “large woody debris” shoreline protection structure. Large woody debris revetments emulate driftwood accumulations that occur naturally along shorelines and use that approach to provide protection against shoreline erosion. In this case, we used cedar trees that had to be removed in the park to construct a washroom building and anchored them along an eroded shoreline section. The pilot project is performing well 2 years on and suggests that this approach could be used more broadly in the Great Lakes and other inland lakes.
ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIPS
Alongside the Environment Network, Tatham will continue to assess and monitor the project to determine if this novel approach can be applied in other locations. We are proud to have forward thinking clients who are eager to partner on new ideas and are we are excited that this project grew into an opportunity for innovation and community involvement.
Can you discuss any innovative or cutting-edge technologies or concepts that you've incorporated into your projects?It’s a bit funny to call this an innovation, because it’s so simple, but incorporating vegetation into shoreline structures has been something of a revelation for me. In engineering, we tend to not give enough credit to nature, but my experience on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay during recent high-water years showed me the power of vegetation to protect shorelines from erosion. I had the opportunity to see a lot of the South Georgian Bay shoreline during this period and it was very clear to me that vegetated shorelines fared much better than those without vegetation. In some cases, a single well-rooted tree provided better protection than a hardened shoreline protection structure.
Do you work with any local environmental groups such as Muskoka Watershed or the GBB?
We have worked with the GBB, the Environment Network in Collingwood, local First Nations like the Saugeen Ojibway Nation and we also work closely with Conservation Authorities, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and Department of Fisheries and Oceans on our shoreline projects to ensure we are meeting all of their requirements for working in or near the water.
Can you share any upcoming or future projects you have in the pipeline?
I have been helping the Nottawasaga Island Lighthouse Protection Committee with a shoreline project that will see a vegetated revetment constructed as part of a boat shelter, which is another nature-based shoreline protection pilot project.
Amanda Kellett
Thank you Amanda for your wonderful insight!
Season 2 is generously funded by the Georgian Bay Land Trust
Follow along my journey on Instagram!
