UK: ABPmer to Undertake Wessex Coastal Sediment Study

ABPmer and Capita Symonds with URS have been contracted by the Environment Agency to record the sediment properties in the intertidal zone of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary coastlines.

The study, which will consider the coastline between Sharpness and Porlock Bay, is being undertaken to understand the variation in the bed characteristics in front of coastal defences to assist with their future management.

ABPmer’s in-house survey team will take surface and sub-surface sediment samples at 1km spacing near Mean High Water and across the intertidal area. The collected sediments will then be characterised through particle size analysis. The results will be subsequently available via the EA SANDS database.

Peter Whitehead, ABPmer Project Director said, “We are delighted to be undertaking this study for the Environment Agency. ABPmer has a long established survey team that has undertaken a number of similar field sampling studies with follow up laboratory analysis, data presentation and interpretation.

The fieldwork is expected to take around no more than six weeks and comprises a number of phases to take account of tidal conditions relative to daylight hours. The programme has been worked out with flexibility in mind to take account the potential for inclement weather. The final report is due at the end of March 2012.”

ABPmer operates a fully mobile survey team which undertakes near-shore hydrographic and field investigations throughout the UK. The team carries an extensive range of instrumentation for bathymetric surveying, 2D and 3D flow monitoring, water levels, multi-parameter water sampling, grab sampling and beach profiling. This is backed up by a fully equipped sediment analysis laboratory and computer facilities for data analysis, management and presentation as well as automated chart production.

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Dredging Today Staff, January 26, 2012; Image: abpmer