Fluctuating water levels is a natural process. High levels influence other natural processes, like erosion and flooding. This can be disquieting to people with cottages situated close to where these natural processes are taking place. Development setbacks that account for sufficient, long-term changes have been an effective approach to protecting lakeshore development. This is also a better approach than spending considerable amounts of money on shore protection that ultimately disrupt natural shoreline processes, and cause problems further down-shore.

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Low levels can affect a series of other natural processes like: greater dune development (in certain areas), sedimentation of estuaries, and plant growth on beaches. During low levels, dunes are replenishing their sand reserves for future high levels. Sedimentation of estuaries can mean the mouth of the river, or stream, changes what we view as the normal direction and amount of flow.

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Plant growth on beaches is a normal process as buried seeds find an opportunity to germinate. This is part of the ecology of beaches. Excessive plant growth in the water, on the other hand, is not considered a natural phenomenon and is usually indicative of excessive nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous entering the water from runoff. Algae fouling is an obvious example of an ecological imbalance due to excessive nutrients in the water.

 

However, there are beaches along the shoreline where emergent vegetation, like sedges and rushes, are an important natural part of the shoreline ecology. These are wetland plants that perform a number of ecological roles, including wildlife habitat and water purification.

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For people living along the shores of Lake Huron, it is important to understand that shorelines are dynamic, and that change is a normal part of living with the Great Lakes. For more information on Lake Huron water levels, contact the Coastal Centre. Additional resources on water levels are linked below.