SCOTT, Darren Meryl - 1991

The Dynamic Dunes of Crescent Beach, Lockeport, Nova Scotia: 1978 to 1990

This study examines the nature of and the factors, with respect to dune vegetation cover and wind characteristics (i.e. prevailing direction and mean velocity), responsible for morphological changes to the Crescent Beach sand dunes, Lockeport, Nova Scotia, between 1978 and 1990.

Comparative data to measure morphological and sedimentological change have been derived from surveys, over time, of four profiles established along the beach. Changes in dune height, width, and slope have been calculated. The morphological changes of the dunes which were surveyed have been related to the vegetation changes of the dunes. The relationship between dune vegetation and the sand-moving power of the wind in contributing to morphological change has been examined by determining the prevailing onshore wind direction for the study area.

The results of the study have verified that morphological changes have occurred to the dunes of Crescent Beach between 1978 and 1990. The sediment analysis has demonstrated that the dunes have been deflated by the wind. Dune deterioration has been most acute in areas where the dunes have experienced a loss in vegetation cover. The dunes at the eastern portion of the beach were stable due to their locational and morphological characteristics.

Given the dunes were artificially created, it is recommended by the author that if the residents of Lockeport wish to observe, at least in the short-term, positive results from an effective dune preservation program, then the dunes should be levelled to a uniform height, vegetated, and seasonally maintained.