Understanding barrier beaches
A project to develop a costed framework of field, laboratory or theoretical studies to fill knowledge gaps to support the management of barrier beaches.
Documents
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Details
Background
Shingle barriers and ridges provide a natural line of coastal protection and flood defence for many sites. Regular breaching and extensive storm damage have occurred at many sites. Despite this, limited scientific guidance is available to provide beach managers with operational management tools to predict the response of these beaches to storm conditions.
Some sites are currently undergoing high profile strategic management reviews or have already incurred high capital or maintenance expenditure costs. Decisions must be made with a limited understanding of the way that these beaches perform under storm attack s.
Outcome
This project brings together existing knowledge and operational experience of the performance of barrier beaches. It identifies the dominant processes and areas where there is a lack of knowledge. It aims to establish, justify and prioritise a costed framework of field, laboratory or theoretical studies that will fill knowledge gaps to support the management of barrier beaches.
This report scopes the current understanding of barrier beaches. It sets the foundations for improving the science and application of management tools, and for developing sound management guidance.
Future benefits
This guidance will help flood and coastal erosion risk management policy makers and practitioners make better decisions on barrier beach management practice. It does not constitute official government policy or guidance. Instead, it provides information for understanding the geomorphological, physical and morphodynamic processes influencing barrier beach evolution and management.
This report will be of particular relevance for coastal managers and researchers engaged in enhancing understanding and management of these dynamic features.
This project ran from 2005 to 2006 at a cost of £51,600.