Simon Fraser University researchers say the Fraser River delta needs management and monitoring, otherwise its natural biodiversity and ability to respond to sea level rise could be threatened.
Simon Fraser University professor of earth sciences Shahin Dashtgard co-led a paper in the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences summarizing geological research on the Fraser River delta.
In a news release, he said his main concern is the management of sediment.
“I don't think people understand just how important that sediment is. It is invaluable to the long-term sustainability of the delta as home to Metro Vancouver," he explained.
“The sediment carried in the river builds natural barriers and allows the delta to naturally adjust to changes in sea level.
"We need the river system and delta to act naturally to some degree to sustain the environments and the urban centres that we have presently.”
Simon Fraser professor Jeremy Venditti added development projects and a lack of sediment coming from the mountains are also major threats.
The pair add without sediment making it to the delta front, the delta isn't able to keep pace with sea-level rise.
“We need to start thinking about what kind of Fraser River we want," Venditti said.
"I think people appreciate the relatively natural parts of the delta. It’s wonderful bird habitat, it’s fish habitat. So, if that’s the kind of delta we want, we need to make a conscious decision for it to be developed in that way.”
The pair says a monitoring system is needed, one that would track sediment volumes and distributions.
"The climate is changing, sea level is rising, and if you want to figure out how the river is going to change in response to land use change, to climate change, to anthropogenic impacts, you need to know what the delta looked like before," Venditti added.
