Southwestern Sales Corporation Limited Goderich Port Management Corporation
goderichport.ca goderich.ca
West Windsor - 210 Detroit Street, Windsor, ON - (519) 254-1811 East Windsor - 10120 Riverside Drive East, Windsor, ON - (519) 735-2876 Kingsville - 111 Park Street, Kingsville, ON - (519) 733-2301 Sarnia - 170 Devine Street, Sarnia, ON - (519) 337-6087 Sombra - 3775 St. Clair Parkway, Sombra, ON - (519) 892-3508
Our Docks Are Ready to Serve Thanks for Sailing With Us Since 1954
We Are Your Aggregate and Shipping Solution
Southwestern Sales Corporation Limited 100 Lesperance Road, Unit 5, Tecumseh, Ontario N8N 1W1 Phone: (519) 735-9822 Fax: (519) 735-1913 www.southwesternsales.ca
Commercial Impacts
The greatest impact on regional shipping will be changes to Low Water Datum (LWD), which is included in this round of updates. The chart datum impacts federally authorized depths and the depths shown on navigation charts of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River system. In the Lakes, it also impacts authoriza- tion for harbor improvements. LWD was established in 1933 us- ing data from the 1800s. While the datum was proportionally shifted in 1955 and 1985, the historical record of water levels has not been reviewed in context since 1933. Essentially the LWD - not water levels - determines the depth ships have for sailing. It's the reference point the Corps uses for maintenance. The LWD is going to be updated by looking at the historical record through current and recalculated data to see if the current plan still makes sense," Allis says. "It will directly impact how much water shippers will have available." The new IGLD will in some way address concerns about climate change and outflow regulations for the lakes. Water levels have swung from drastically low, causing ships to light-load, to flooding shorelines along the St. Lawrence River. At times, the vast shifts have resulted in negative news about the industry and misunderstandings of how binational outflow plans work. Releasing the new datum in 2025 will ensure current and more accurate standards. The committee wants to make sure they're capturing the current water levels," Allis says, "and to make sure shippers have the depths they need." The Corps will continue to dredge to the federally authorized depth of 27 feet. How much dredging will be required is yet to be determined. Expectations are that LWD will change little, if at all, in Lakes Erie and Ontario. For the Upper Lakes, however, the shift could mean dropping the datum as much as a foot. Such a shift would mean some harbors will require that extra foot be dredged to maintain the approved commercial depth.
Janenne Irene Pung
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GREAT LAKES/SEAWAY REVIEW October-December, 2021
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