Blackwater Estuary

On the Essex coastline

it is eroded at a rate of 0.31m per year (sometimes 2m)
it is at risk from flooding as
sea level is raising and south
of England is sinking

Salt marsh importance

It is important to many birds and animals
including the redshank, and 60% of the British
population nests there
Estuaries and salt marsh creeks form important
nurseries for marine fish
They are also important roosting/ nesting grounds
for many bird species
They are also important for industry as they are
sheltered from the open sea so that makes them
ideal ports

Why its under pressure

Cities develop around them which put them under
pressure from building and industry
Some have been reduced in size e.g along the
Thames estuary
Grazing, landfill, fertilizers and changes in soil
acidity and recreational use are also threats to the
salt marshes

Previous management
The Essex coastline contains 400 miles of sea wall to enclose
saltings that were drained to increase grazing land. They were
previously effected by strong tides and storm surges
The eroded the salt marshes have become the walls become
more in need of reinforcement to withstand the effects of the
sea.
This is hugely expensive
Where the economic value of land is low it is more appropriate
to allow the estuary to function as a natural ecosystem to
relieve coastal squeeze and the salt marshes to grow.
They also act as a coastal defence, counter walls were
constructed at the ends of abbot hall to ensure the land wasnt
flooded
The 5 beaches designed and constructed in October 2002

New management
1. Coastal realignment- when the sea wall was breached it was
moved further back on higher ground to protect it from
flooding
2. Beach nourishment- along the estuary eg Mersea island
3. Marsh stabilisation- planting of stakes and brushwood on the
water line which encourages sediment to build up
4. Sea wall 1995 breach- 40 hectares of farmland were flooded
at Orplands
1.

21 hectares was then flooded as part of the coastal realignment

5. Sea wall lowered- it was lowered and breached which flooded

0.8 hectares of farmland at Northey island
Hard engineering was used but it became too expensive so soft
engineering schemes were implemented

Benefits

Drawbacks

More sustainable in the long term

Grazing land has been lost as well

as farmland

Cheaper

The Orpland site is still bare mud

which is easily eroded

Marshland created would defend

the coast for longer as its self
repairing

Potential land for infrastructure

and industry etc. is lost

Provides a larger habitat for

wildlife

The land still has value- large

area of land lost

Money saved on management

there can be used for managing
more valuable areas

It doesnt completely stop erosion

Is it sustainable
It is more sustainable than hard engineering
schemes because it benefits the environment as
hard engineering damages habitats and
ecosystems
Soft engineering also lasts longer and have less
maintenance requirements than sea walls
Sea walls are very expensive to repair (600 000)
and only last 20 years