HHA begins Beneficial Use of Dredging program at Levington

Harwich Haven Authority (HHA) has stared an innovative project working with Suffolk Yacht Harbor, where dredged sediment from routine marina maintenance is being repurposed to help restore a rapidly eroding saltmarsh and enhance biodiversity along the River Orwell.

According to HHA, the Beneficial Use of Dredging (BUDs) program has recently kicked off at Levington, delivered on the ground by Amicus Civil Engineering and Suffolk Yacht Harbor, which will pump mud dredged from its moorings into the restoration area.

The site, which is located along Levington Creek, has experienced steady erosion for decades. The carefully engineered placement of material, supported by the installation of coir bunds by Amicus Civil Engineering and funded by HHA, will help rebuild the saltmarsh platform, bolster natural flood defenses, and create new habitat for a range of coastal wildlife.

“This work at Levington is a great example of how we can turn essential dredging operations into tangible environmental benefit,” said Jim Warner, Construction & Dredging Manager at Harwich Haven Authority.

“By partnering with Suffolk Yacht Harbor, Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Amicus, we’re able to reuse locally dredged sediment to rebuild valuable saltmarsh habitat that has been disappearing for decades. This nature-based approach not only strengthens the shoreline and improves flood resilience but also creates important new opportunities for wildlife to thrive – especially the seabirds that depend on these fragile ecosystems.”

The Levington works include the installation of coir bunds, controlled sediment placement and long-term habitat restoration.

Also, monitoring of the site’s development will continue throughout 2025 and 2026, including assessments of sediment settlement, vegetation establishment and breeding habitat use by returning bird species.

In February 2026, another phase of the project will begin at Copperas Bay on the River Stour, in partnership with RSPB and Essex Wildlife Trust.