Nature-Based Coastal Climate Adaptation (Living Dikes) Project

Project Highlights

The Nature-Based Coastal Climate Adaptation or “Living Dikes” Project represents a groundbreaking coastal and environmental engineering endeavour.  The project has been realized through a partnership of the City of Surrey, the City of Delta and Semiahmoo First Nation.  Located on Boundary Bay and Mud Bay in Delta and Surrey, in the core territories of Semiahmoo First Nation and the traditional lands of Katzie, Kwantlen, Sto:lo, and Tsawwassen First Nations, the initiative focuses on innovative foreshore enhancements that marry technological sophistication with nature-based solutions. Spearheaded by industry veterans, this project is a meticulous exercise balancing community needs and ecological imperatives.

One of the cornerstones of the project has been the pilot phase, where diverse salt marsh enhancement techniques and a “wide green dike” are tested and monitored over two years.  This experimental approach allows for robust risk management and provides invaluable insights into the intricacies of nature-based flood protection measures.  The salt marsh enhancement pilot involved placing sediment on the foreshore, stabilizing it using several methods, including oyster shells in biodegradable bags, brushwood dams and a gravel and cobble berm and then planting the constructed marsh with native salt marsh vegetation.  The wide green dike pilot design involves raising a 200-meter section of the Colebrook Sea Dike and constructing a gentle clay slope protected from erosion by grass turf a concept expected to set new benchmarks in eco-friendly sea dikes.

Client focus and stakeholder engagement are intrinsic to the project’s success.  By involving a diverse partner and stakeholder group—including technical experts, First Nations representatives, and community members—the team ensures that the initiative is rooted in collective wisdom and shared objectives.  Such broad-based participation has contributed to the project’s excellent reputation and paved the way for its long-term contributions to coastal communities and ecosystems.

The project has already achieved near completion in the construction of salt marsh enhancement pilots, with adaptive management set to commence in 2023.  It has also received esteemed support and validation from the National Research Council of Canada, making it a pioneering effort in applying nature-based solutions for flood protection in British Columbia.  As construction phases for the larger sea dike projects kick off in the mid-2020s, the Nature-Based Coastal Climate Adaptation Project promises to offer a sustainable, innovative blueprint for global future coastal flood protection and climate adaptation initiatives.  This significant progress has been further enhanced by collaboration with Thurber Engineering, WSP, Diamond Head Consulting, Gary Williams Associates, and Asarum.