Deal Beach Management Works
The Environment Agency carried out work on new sea defences in Deal in 2016.
Beach Maintenance
Under the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) for this frontage, it is recommended that the beach is maintained through regular beach management works (known as ‘holding the line’). The main reason is largely to reduce flood risk and protect the other sea defences, such as the sea walls.
Every year beach monitoring surveys are carried out along the whole coastline to indicate any beach erosion. This helps us ascertain quantities of accretion and deposition e.g. areas of eroded beach or areas that have accumulated too much beach.
Movement of the beach and more importantly erosion of the beach mainly takes place during the winter months when the weather is at its worst (the combination of high spring tides and on shore winds cause the most erosion in this case).
Work carried out in 2016
Following the winter storms of 2016 and the following storm Katie the beach moved significantly - post storm surveys were carried out and work was carried out to bring back the shingle lost from vulnerable parts of the beach. These works removed the cliffing that formed, which can be seen in the photograph below.
It is important to carry out these works on a regular basis following on from the Environment Agency’s coastal defence scheme or when the beach has suffered winter erosion.
What will happen if the work is not carried out?
If these works are not carried out regularly then there is a chance the shingle is lost by migrating Northwards and becoming irretrievable and increasing the risk of flooding by not having the shingle to recycle and replenish the depleted beach areas in the first place.
Contact
Tel: 01304 872399
email keithwatson@dover.gov.uk.