Severn Estuary: Long Term Morphology – Two new reports available from The Crown Estate

http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/energy-minerals-and-infrastructure/research/seabed-and-coastal-research/reports/

Summary

The Crown Estate has been supporting work which improves general knowledge of the physical processes of the Severn estuary. The objective of the most recent study, carried out for The Crown Estate by HR Wallingford, was to provide an update on the baseline evolution of the intertidal morphology of the Severn estuary, by compiling and analysing the latest information, modelling and synthesis so as to provide a picture of what is currently happening within the estuary.

Until relatively recently the long-term changes, occurring since Roman times and the imposition of some fixed boundaries, have involved ‘coastal squeeze’ with increased stress on the intertidal zone and its ecology. However, the results of the recent study which are included within the two latest reports, show that there has been a seaward advance of 0.5m/year of the English and Welsh coastlines over the ~90km stretch for which LiDAR data exist for the period 2006/7 to 2014. This is an unexpected result and one which has implications for both policy makers and potential developers. The reports contain a much more detailed analysis of these changes, including relative changes within the intertidal profile.

The suggested citations for the two reports are:

HR Wallingford 2016. ‘Severn Estuary Long Term Morphology, Synthesis of data and modelling studies’. The Crown Estate, 60 pages, ISBN: 978-1-906410-72-8

HR Wallingford 2016. ‘Severn Estuary Long Term Morphology, an updated review of baseline changes – report on LiDAR data’, The Crown Estate, 116 pages, ISBN: 978-1-906410-73-5

These reports may be downloaded from a list of reports available on The Crown Estate website at http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/energy-minerals-and-infrastructure/research/seabed-and-coastal-research/reports/

For further information contact:

Prof Mike Cowling, Chief Scientist, The Crown Estate, 16 New Burlington Place, London, W1S 2HX. Tel. 020 7851 5032  mike.cowling@thecrownestate.co.uk