Storm clearance work underway at West Bay, water injection dredging to follow

An operation to clear one of the biggest amounts of storm debris seen at West Bay is underway. Dorset Council is utilizing an 80-ton crane to dredge a huge build-up of shingle and sediment in the outer Harbor, which was caused by the recent storms.

“And the task is mammoth – this level of material, around 10,000 tons, has not been seen in more than 20 years,” the Council said.

Recent south-easterly storms have brought an exceptional volume of shingle and sediment onto the beach, overwhelming the harbor entrance.

Dorset Council’s Cabinet member for Place services, Cllr Jon Andrews, said: “These dredging works are a direct response to the extraordinary build-up of material caused by repeated south easterly storms – the kinds of levels we’ve not seen for two decades.”

“It’s essential that we do this work to open the harbor entrance and return it to how it was before the storms.

“We are acting quickly by using equipment that allows us to start work immediately, helping to maintain safe navigation while ensuring the harbor remains operational.”

The council’s team are using a ‘crane and grab’ method to remove the storm build-up. A crane fitted with a 1-ton grab, which has a maximum 40-metre reach, will be used to dredge the material from the harbor.

During next week’s spring tides, the council will conduct water injection dredging trials alongside the crane operations.

Water injection has already proven highly effective, and the spring tide window provides excellent conditions for moving loosened sediment, the Council concluded.