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ABPmer
Quayside Suite
Medina Chambers
Town Quay
Southampton
SO14 2AQ
2014
Unmanaged realignment
United Kingdom
The Wash
0.19426167
53.034781
Lagoon
Mudflat
Saltmarsh
Transitional Grassland
7.96 Hectares
Other
An unmanaged realignment took place on the north side of the Wash in 2014. This change, and subsequent management of the site, resulted in the creation of 'The Horseshoe' lagoon.
The seawall breach occurred following the tidal surges that occurred along the East coast during the 2013/2014 winter. At this location a large area of farmland was flooded when a private section of the seawall was breached. That seawall had been constructed by landowners in the 1970s and was known as Jubilee Bank. Saline water flooded around 200 ha of land behind the sea wall and it was held there for many weeks.
This water was eventually pumped out. An emergency/temporary measure (using plastic-weave builder bags and plastic sheet) was then carried out to fill the breach. This temporary solution was left in place and was still in situ during site visit back in April 2018.
Following the breach, a new seawall was built further inland that is known as Wrangle Bank. This was built by the internal drainage board (IDB) and landowners because of the private nature of the defences. This new wall enclosed the unmanaged realignment site and allowed the development of a new sea lagoon, with mudflat and saltmarsh behind the temporary infilled sea wall as it has subsequently collapsed.
An 8 ha area is regularly inundated by the tide. Pioneer saltmarsh is starting to develop, and the area is well-used by waders (covered by the BTO Webs Sector - Friskney 40).
ABPmer
Quayside Suite
Medina Chambers
Town Quay
Southampton
SO14 2AQ