Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
THE FUTURE
The area of naturally dynamic coastal shingle remaining in Britain is very small. With a continuing rise
in sea level and a limited supply of new shingle the gradual erosion and retreat of shingle features such
asPwlldu seems inevitable. The sand-dune systems are also being squeezed between rising sea levels and
other habitats inland, and with little new sand coming into the system it seems that in future the effects
of storms will be to reduce the area of dune, not necessarily to bring more offshore sand into the system.
The storms during the winter of 1989/90 for example had a dramatic effect on the exposed western side
of Whiteford Dunes: the three lines of dune ridges which had built up between Prissen's Tor and Hill's
Tor since the 1930s were severely eroded, leaving only half of the final ridge in place, a retreat of over
50 metres. The frontal dune scarp running from Hill's Tor to Whiteford Point also retreated by 10 metres
at the southern end, reducing to 5 metres at the northern end. A considerable amount of sand was also
lost from the beach in front of Prissen's Tor. The vulnerability and dynamic nature of beaches and dunes
means that the dredging of offshore sandbanks can only add to this problem.
