<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> South West Coastal Group

South West Coastal Group


 
 

 

 
Benefits
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Techniques
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The Southwest Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme
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Monitoring the Coast

In order to carry out any coastal protection works or attempt to change the natural state of the coast it is necesary to have a thorough understanding of the areas ongoing coastal processes. This can be done through the use of physical or theoretical modelling techniques and desk top studies, but the best results come from sites where regular monitoring surveys have first been carried out.

Site-specific data of this kind provides real first hand evidence, allowing direct interpretation or the fine-tuning of model studies.With this knowledge schemes can be tailored to work within the natural system, using it to advantage where beach control is required or by reducing unwanted impacts further afield. In this way it should then be possible to get the best financial, social and engineering benefit from the new defences.

With the growing awareness of the sensitivity of the coastline to outside interference, the value of coastal monitoring is now well recognised with many coastal authorities and independent bodies employing a variety of techniques to survey their frontages.

Sediment Paterns on a beach   Sea conditions and the sediment available control the natural erosion rate down the coastline and without further interference this erosion would tend towards a constant average value for all locations.

This steady state is however further controlled by natural and man made obstructions and changes in the orientation of the coastline.

 

Lundy Bay
 
coast defence Works
 
Flooding
 
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