Sir,
Having spent some ten years studying and surveying the dunes at Lionicleat, twice yearly, I kind of got a feeling for the area. I watched as An Corran almost disappeared before my eyes, over 100 metres in one year. At the time I spoke with the crofter who worked the dunes and we discussed the problem. At the time the tide was on the ebb and I was able to show him the problem.
The tide on the islands runs north roughly a half hour on the west before the east. This is not so much a problem on the flood. On the ebb it acts like a dam. Then when the tide falls a river in spate runs from east to west for about three hours and this is what washes the sand out to sea.
Letter: Causeway flooding
11 May 2015
The crofter asked me what would happen if you blocked the causeway. This got me thinking and the conclusion I came to was that; over a period of about ten years a new machair would be created. South Uist would be joined to Benbecula and a more stable dune system would exist. In Holland or elsewhere they would be looking at an opportunity not at a negative.
I was horrified to be asked to carry out a survey to the area of the accident almost one year to the day after the disaster. I stood shamefaced and embarrassed as a delegation including Mr Macpherson arrived, having been told they would get answers. I had none; I was just carrying out the survey. Again, although personally I have no reason too, I apologised for the ineptitude of the council and Scottish Government in dealing with this matter
While carrying out the survey I was shown photographs, taken in the sixties, of flooding to the same extent. This was before the causeway was built and proved to me that the causeway was not the problem.
Having carried out the survey I handed over my report and was allowed no further input into the design. In my opinion, although the causeway has been strengthened and the road level raised, the problem still exists. The situation could recur again.
A stone wall runs at right angles to the junction towards the sea. As a wave travels along this wall it multiplies in size until it reaches and explodes on the junction. THIS WILL RECUR.
Kenneth Morrison,
6 Bain Square,
Stornoway