Lake Erie North Shore Watershed Plan - Niagara Peninsula ...

LAKE ERIE NORTH SHORE WATERSHED PLAN
Reeb‟s Bay is east from Rathfon Point to the next rock outcrop is (unnamed). The beach
widens and consistency is mainly sand with some gravel. Aside from a small portion, the
entire shoreline is protected by a number of structures; primarily a seawall. A major dune
system occupies the backshore area in this reach. The dune system is lower at the west
end, rising to elevations about 180m and to 190m at the east end. The dunes in this area
are generally vegetated. Beach access can be obtained by steps that run down the face
of the dune.
East into the next small bay, the dune system reaches an elevation of approximately 215
metres above sea level (masl), and then drops quickly before reaching the headland of
Gravelly Bay. East of the headland, dunes continue to reach significant heights in the
western portion of Gravelly Bay, with an elevation of approximately 185 masl. Bedrock is
visible along the shore throughout most of the bay. Gravelly Bay marks the western
edge of Port Colborne‟s built-up area. Land use in this area consists primarily of
residential, commercial and industrial. Due to the presence of the Welland Canal on the
eastern end of the bay, this portion of the shoreline is entirely man-made and natural
coastal processes have been altered. Numerous shore protection structures are in place
to protect the shoreline.
Littoral sub-cell 6 is formed by a single bay
bordered by the Welland Canal to the west and
Cassaday Point to the east; nestled between is
Nickel Beach, a well used public beach with
widths of over 40m backed by a sandy dune. The
wide sandy beach holds dunes reaching
elevations of 189 masl. Further east, permanent
residences have established on the dunes. Dune
formation continues east to the bedrock outcrop
known as Cassady Point but drops off rapidly
towards the east side of the point. Cassady Point
supports the provincially significant wetland and
woodlot Nickel Beach Marsh and Woodlot.
Extending from Cassaday Point to Point Abino is littoral sub-cell 7. The most western
bay in this sub-cell is Lorraine Bay, a gently curved beach bay anchored by Cassaday
Point on the west and Pine Crest Point on the
east. Widths of this sand and gravel beach vary
from 20 to 40 meters and dune heights reach
almost 190 masl. The entire shoreline has been
developed with residential and seasonal dwellings
and protection structures are in place at the top of
the beach and the base of the dune.
East of Pine Crest Point, a small bedrock outcrop
separates the shoreline into 2 small bays; Cedar
Bay and Silver Bay. The sandy beaches are
separated from the sand dunes that back the
beach by a protection structure. Development along the bays is continuous with most of
it occurring on top of the dunes.
The next eastern stretch of shoreline contains dunes with elevations up to 186 masl.
Further towards Shisler Point is one of the few undeveloped extents of shoreline along
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