Sand Cove resident wants sea wall removed in erosion battle

Sand Cove resident Max Kotlowski wants a 40-year-old sea wall near his Bay of Fundy home removed that he believes is actually a "man-made disaster."

The sea wall was built below the high tide mark in the 1960s and 1970s by a west Saint John contractor who was trying to protect his home from erosion.

But Kotlawskisaid hebelieves it is having the exact opposite effect on other homes in the cove.

"I think this needs to be declared some sort of disaster site," said Kotlawski.

"It is a man-made disaster."

I think this needs to be declared some sort of disaster site.- MaxKotlowski, Sand Cove resident

In recent yearssections of slope along the cove have been shifting, causing homes to move and endangering Sand Cove Road and city's pipes and power lines.

Kotlowskisaid hebelieves the sea wall is at least partly to blame, claiming it has added to the intensity of tidal action in other sections of the cove.

"You're funnelling it, you're focusing the power," said Kotlowski.

"So when the storm comes that same energy has to be dispersed, is going to be dispersed, across a smaller area."

Storm surge intensity

To reduce the intensity of storm surges, he suggests the rock wall and construction debris used as fill behind itshould be removed and used to fill in part of a large sand and gravel pit that isnearby.

It is a position that directly challenges the theory behind a proposal by some other Sand Cove residents who have been vocal in their calls for the wall to be extended as a barrier against the action of the tides.

Wave action is identified in a city-commissioned engineering report as one of the causes of the slope failure threatening those homes.

Others identified causes are:

• A high energy erosion site.
• Weak unconsolidated soils
• Coastal subsidence due to post-glacial "sostatic rebound."

In April, Saint John council allocated $158,087 to pay fordrilling of a series of water wells above the high tide mark.

It is hoped they will remove water from the soil, relieving some of the down-slope pressure in the ground.

A city spokesperson saidthe results will be assessed.

The sea wall, and its potential for extension,is one of the long-term solutions to the erosion and slope failure problembeing weighed by city engineers.