The plan is to create still waters along the shore and protect the dunes and the highway
The province is building something never tried before on P.E.I.
Crews have begun stockpiling 150 trucks loads of Island stone at the beach in Souris which will soon be be installed about 45 metres off-shore to create P.E.I.’s first artificial reef.
Two reefs will be constructed, each at about 30 metres long and 10 metres wide, running parallel to the shore.
Provincial officials say this could the first of more off-shore reefs to come in an on-going effort to respond to climate change issues.
The plan, according to the province, is for the reef to create still waters along the shore and protect the dunes — as well as the highway that runs along the Souris causeway.
Brian Thompson, the director of environmental management for the department of transportation, infrastructure and energy says the reefs will “nourish and stabilize the dunes.”
According to him, government will use aerial drones to monitor the success of the project.
Crews will being doing some of this work during the night next week, when tides are low, and it should be complete by the end of February.
The construction of the reefs is pegged at $100,000.
