The muskeg swamp and rainforest in the habitat of the Fraser River Delta. For more than 10,000 years, it’s been dumping billions of tons of sand, mud and silt. As the delta moves downstream, it is on the front lines of dangerous environmental hazards like sea level rise and accelerated land loss through erosion. As shown in a recent report by UC Berkeley’s Jump Scale Lab, some neighborhoods in Richmond are sinking at more than 3.5 millimeters per year. These changes pose deadly threats to our environment. They endanger the region’s infrastructure and economic vitality, as well.
Beyond the natural changes we’re already seeing, human action only adds pressure to this growing threat. Usually the province only processes 10 Notices of Project Development a year for dredging on the Fraser River. This practice cuts invasive weeds, maintains navigable shipping lanes, and conserves sensitive ecosystems. The Port of Vancouver’s dredging program aims to minimize these interventions to support a ship with an 11.5-meter draft navigating the delta’s 36-kilometer channel. This approach may not be enough on its own to address the sediment supply deficit. That deficit will be responsible for increasing erosion and flooding in the region.
With so much at risk, experts have raised alarms about the Fraser River Delta’s future. The double whammy of habitat loss and increased sea-levels would be a recipe for disaster both to marine life and surrounding communities.
Environmental Impact and Erosion
The Fraser River Delta has already lost over 650 hectares of marshes. This proposed loss looms over Richmond, Delta, and the Vancouver International Airport. Marshes play a crucial role in local ecology, serving as nurseries for wild salmon and resting spots for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway.
Shahin Dashtgard, a professor of earth sciences at Simon Fraser University, warns that without tidal marshes, the delta’s ability to buffer against storm surges and rising sea levels diminishes. “It’s huge money. We’re talking in the tens of billions of dollars,” said Dashtgard in reference to the potential costs associated with adapting to these environmental changes.
According to Eric Balke, a senior restoration biologist with Ducks Unlimited Canada, human activity has already extended the deep river channel by eight meters. Read more on this anticipated change over the next quarter century. This change will inevitably worsen current issues involving flooding and erosion.
“I don’t want to be dramatic, but we stand to lose a lot of these ecosystems if they cannot keep pace with sea-level rise.” – Jeremy Venditti
Financial Implications for Metro Vancouver
The costs of adjusting to sea-level rise in Metro Vancouver are jaw-dropping. Without significant action, projections indicate that costs may reach $9.5 billion by 2100. Some estimates go so far as to say that simply responding to erosion and rising tides could be as high as $303 billion by 2070.
The area’s 250 kilometers of dikes are quickly crumbling in the face of rising climate change challenges. As local governments and other stakeholders continue to get hit with these fiscal waves, the call for both a short- and long-term, coordinated response grows louder.
Harold Steves, local sustainable development champion and member of the British Columbia Legislature, was having none of the status quo management style. “This is not going to work. They’re setting the rules for themselves,” he stated. He further emphasized that as sea levels continue to rise, agricultural lands may be irreparably damaged: “As far as our land is concerned, as the sea level rises, we’ll probably lose our field.”
Calls for Action and Sustainable Solutions
With the future of the Fraser River Delta hanging in the balance, experts are urging stakeholders to engage in meaningful discussions about sustainable solutions. Jeremy Venditti emphasized the importance of asking critical questions about the delta’s future: “We have to start asking the question: What kind of Fraser delta do we really want? And then give people the opportunity to answer.”
Today, Ducks Unlimited Canada is hard at work spraying mud to restore the tidal flats in front of Richmond. Through their efforts, they are bringing back the important habitats that have been drained over the years. These initiatives are critically important both for our wildlife and to help offer our communities a more natural defense against flooding.
Avtar Thandi, an advocate for local agriculture, pointed out that the land’s fertility is declining due to rising water levels. “What can you grow on the land? Nothing. Ducks.” He stressed that proactive measures must be taken. “You gotta raise the land. You gotta keep adding to it.”
