Protecting our Beaches The Great Wall of Nova Scotia Protecting our Beaches By: Samantha Nickerson, Sam Nicholson, Kaileigh Skinner and Brian MacDonald and Jacob Arsenault Mentor: Katie Renner

The Problem Over time, Nova Scotia’s coastline will erode to the point where Nova Scotia no longer has beaches. If we do not do something about this, our habitat along with many other species habitats in our province will be washed away by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Our Proposal Our proposal is to have the Canadian Government place a structure called a Breakwater in areas of the coastline in Nova Scotia that has been most affected by erosion.

What are Breakwaters? Breakwaters are like walls but in the water. They are designed to block the waves from eroding beaches or land. Breakwaters are constructed off the shore. When waves hit it, the breakwater blocks them and thus creates a calmer area of water between the breakwater and the shore. This helps protect the beach from erosion.

http://videos. howstuffworks http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/35606-extreme-engineering-breakwaters-to-save-venice-video.htm

Types of Breakwaters 1) The Fixed Breakwater And 2) The “Mobile Harbour”

The Fixed Breakwater These breakwaters can’t be moved; they are permanent structures. They are usually made of hollow concrete blocks. They can also be made out of recycled material such as furnace slag and fly ash.

Advantages to the Fixed Breakwater Can withstand storms They work well in shallow waters Once built, it can last for a long time Safe from all elements

The Mobile Harbour These breakwaters can be moved because they are floating. The Mobile Harbour is similar to a dock, where it has a concrete base and a wooden top is tethered to the base.

Advantages to the Mobile Harbour Allow free circulation of water, and still offer protection Fish can still move underneath It can be removed if there is a problem/damage to the breakwater Can be made easily in factories Can be moved easily in to deeper waters

Flaw with Breakwaters One major flaw with breakwaters is that if they are not long enough, the water can push around the sides of the breakwater and erode the parts of the beach that it does not protect. This can eventually create a “peninsula” in the beach

Our Solution to this Flaw Our solution to this flaw is to create open spaces in the breakwater to allow water to still flow through evenly, and not create peninsulas. These spaces can also be used as passages for boats through the breakwater.

Conclusion In conclusion, we feel that using breakwaters will protect our beaches effectively from erosion and storms. If we place breakwaters where they are needed in Nova Scotia, we will be able to enjoy our beaches for years to come. Thank You!

Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakwater_(strucure) http://www.answers.com/topic/breakwater http://www.superfloats.com/breakwaters/fixedbreakwater.shtml http://www.superfloats.com/breakwaters/floatingbreakwater.shtml