10 



REPORTS ON TORONTO HARBOUR. 



run out into 40 feet water, arrest all sand and shingle for a con- 

 siderable period of time, and as the accumulating materials 

 encroached upon the protecting limits of the groyne, further 

 increase could be arrested, and the materials fixed, by placing a 

 second groyne at B ; in process of time the travelling beach would 

 encroach upon the protecting limits of B, a third groyne placed 

 at C, on a smaller scale, would arrest further progress, and fix 

 the sand between C and B ; a fourth after a few years would be 

 required at D, and so on, as materials accumulated. The results 

 of this system would be the establishment of the Peninsula upon 

 a firm basis, adding year by year a large quantity of what might 

 become valuable property if properly taken care of and embellished 

 with, as well as sustained by, appropriate trees. The western ex- 

 tremity of the Peninsula is also subject to the inroads of travelling 

 beaches as not only its formation but the extension of the sand bar 

 sufficiently shows, and has shown, for many years. (SeeGzowski's 

 report, noticed before.) A groyne at E, would, if made to pene- 

 trate into 15 feet water, effectually retain the moving beach, and 

 preserve the integrity of the distance between A and E, and finally 

 a groyne at F K, as mentioned by Mr. Fleming, would establish 

 the channel, and if curved sufficiently far in the direction of K, 

 a permanent beach would be thrown up during the next period of 

 low water, which would secure a current in one channel of at 

 least 12 feet water, sufficient to preserve it from possible inroads 

 of sand, which might be deposited in the form of Bars, within it, 

 during summer currents, hereafter to be noticed. 



In the mean while, what, it will be asked, is to become of the 

 more easterly portions of the peninsula ; is there no danger of any 

 part of that narrow strip between the Peninsula Hotel and the ex- 

 tremity of Ashbridge's Bay being swept away ? Nature hersel 

 supplies an answer to this question, which, when duly considered 

 may be correctly interpreted. Nature has made and repaired one 

 breach during the past year at the eastern extremity of Toronto 

 Harbour ; she has made and is now repairing at the rate of an 

 acre a week another breach in Ashbridge's Bay, of a third of a 

 mile long. There is not a doubt that during the whole epoch of 

 the existence of Toronto Harbour, from its first washed up beach 

 to its present imposing magnitude, breaches have been made dur- 

 ing all periods of high water, and repaired during periods of low 

 water. The writer is of opinion that several remains of breaches 

 can be recognised in various parts of the coast between the Hotel 

 and the eastern extremity of Ashbridge's Bay — these remains 

 distinguish themselves by two projecting spits, precisely like 

 those which are now seen where the recently closed breaks existed 

 at the east end of the Harbour. Four years ago — during the 

 period of low water in 1849 — several of these remains of breaches 

 could be distinctly seen, bordering the swamps and east of it. It 

 is desirable that breaches should not be made, as by slow degrees 

 they limit the dimensions of the Harbour, but under certain 

 circumstances, they are of immense importance, as will be shown 

 hereafter. The writer submits, with respect, that no works what- 

 ever are required to preserve any portion of the beach from 

 destruction. It will be asked, why not ? and it will be urged 

 that the diminution of the beach near Privat's Hotel and elsewhere, 

 in an easterly direction, to less than one half its width in abou. 

 two or three years, is cause for serious doubt as to its stability 

 The writer would beg to call attention to the circumstances under 

 which the beaches became diminished : their diminution is only 

 apparent, and where real (ifanywherp) it will be rapidly repaired ; 



the beaches expose less surface in consequence of the unusually 

 high water of the Lake. The average annual fluctuations of Lake 

 Ontario are about two feet, but the difference between the levels 

 of the Lake in October, 1849, and in June, 1853, was four feet 

 five inches. (See Canadian Journal, page 27, Vol. 2.) Now it is 

 suggested that these great differences in Lake Levels are of the 

 utmost importance, not only with respect to the general appear- 

 ance of the Peninsula, but with regard to its subaqueous develop- 

 ment. An observer in 1849 would see a broad beach at the 

 Peninsula Hotel some fifty or sixty yards broader than an observer 

 in 1853, solely on account of the difference in the Lake levels, 

 without the necessity of one particle of sand being removed. An 

 observer in 1853 would say the beach is but two feet three inches 

 above the waters of the Lake, while an observer in 1849 would 

 say, it was six feet eight inches above the same level, and yet the 

 real altitude of the beach might be precisely the same. So with 

 respect to Soundings. The bar which in 1853 had four feet 

 water upon it would be two inches above the water in October, 

 1849. These are important items, they show the absolute neces- 

 sity of exact scrutiny into all measurements relating to the Har- 

 bour, and the reduction to the same standard of Lake level of 

 all observations, before a fair conclusion can be arrived at. The 

 influence of difference in lake levels, in other words, of periods of 

 high and low water upon the Peninsula is all powerful. This 

 difference has enabled sand bars to be thrown up into sand 

 beaches, and has, in a word, been the great format we cause of the 

 whole Peninsula. It is beautifully shown even in this tempestu- 

 ous weather, (April, 1854) ; at Lighthouse Point the writer no- 

 ticed in October last the slow deposition of the spit now protrud- 

 ing itself above water at the western extremity of the Point. The 

 Lake was then 3 feet 3 inches above its lowest level in 1849, and 

 the spit was just covered with water in calm weather, and not to 

 be seen from the shore, but easily discernable from the Point.* 

 Now it is decidedly a narrow sand beach, but the Lake is about 

 a foot lower than in September last. During the present, or 

 rather coming summer, as the Lake falls, it will be washed up 

 into a stable, prominent beach, sweeping round to the north, and 

 enclosing some additional acres, to mark the present rapid increase 

 of the boundary of Toronto Harbour. 



One more aspect under which the fluctuations in the level of the 

 Lakes may be viewed, is in the relation of those changes to the 

 construction of groynes. 



It may be supposed, for instance, that during a high lake level a 

 groyne is constructed into 10 feet water — it is known, however, 

 that the difference between the maximum and minimum levels of 

 Ontario exceed five feet (some authorities say 8 feet). It is clear 

 that a groyne penetrating into 1^ feet water during high lake 

 levels would penetrate into only five feet during minimum levels, 

 which would have the effect of neutralizing the purposes for which 

 the groyne was constructed, f 



This argument becomes perfectly applicable when we consider 

 the nature of the shoals east of Lighthouse Point. There is an 

 immense distance between the lines of 10 feet water and 15 feet 

 water, when reduced to the standard of the Lake levels ; this 

 distance exceeds in many instances the total length which would 

 be required for one groyne at Lighthouse Point, penetrating into 



* Sec Note G, Appendix, (referred to before.) 

 j- See Note I. 



