Extreme river flood exposes latent erosion risk

Dramatic erosion exposes coffin boards at Pioneer Cemetery in Southampton

Town councillors hope the “very stark” view of coffins uncovered by slope erosion along the Saugeen River will help convince the province to provide remediation funds for the Pioneer Cemetery in Southampton.

Extreme river flood exposes latent erosion risk

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and magnitude of river floods1. Floods not only cause damage by inundation and loss of life2,3 but also jeopardize infrastructure because of bank failure and riverbed erosion processes that are poorly understood. Common flood safety programs include dike reinforcement and river widening4–9. The 2021 flood in the Meuse Basin caused 43 fatalities and a multibillion-dollar damage to infrastructur…