Tsleil-Waututh Study Proves Damage from Marine Traffic in B.C.’s Burrard Inlet – The Energy Mix
“Seeing the erosion happen before your eyes—it’s a piece of your
history—it’s like having your grandmother’s quilt and watching threads
of it being pulled and torn,” said Tsleil-Waututh spokesperson Charlene
Aleck. She confirmed that higher traffic in the Inlet, which acts as
Vancouver’s central harbour, has changed the “wave climate”, leading to
degradation of shoreline ecosystems and damage to both archaeological
sites and places of present cultural importance.
history—it’s like having your grandmother’s quilt and watching threads
of it being pulled and torn,” said Tsleil-Waututh spokesperson Charlene
Aleck. She confirmed that higher traffic in the Inlet, which acts as
Vancouver’s central harbour, has changed the “wave climate”, leading to
degradation of shoreline ecosystems and damage to both archaeological
sites and places of present cultural importance.
After having its concerns ignored or rebuffed by regulators, the
Nation hired engineering consultants Kerr Wood Leidal to conduct a study
of the wave climate in the area. Working with Marine Labs, the experts
“found that vessel wakes significantly increase the overall wave energy
in Burrard Inlet beyond natural wind-generated waves between 1.2 and 4.6
times depending on the location, and that current tugboat traffic
contributes up to 20% of waves generated by vessels.”
