Year Implemented

2013

Project Type

Beneficial use of dredged sediment

Country

United Kingdom

Location

Lymington Estuary (Hampshire)

Longitude

-1.5011

Latitude

50.7516

Habitat(s) Created

Size

1 Hectares

Why Undertaken

• Mitigation

Project Description Summary

This work was done by Wightlink Ltd. to mitigate for the possible (and uncertain) effects on the Solent Estuary European Marine Site from the navigation of new passenger ferries between Lymington to Yarmouth. The aim of the recharge was to delay the loss of the deteriorating marsh within and surrounding the area where dredge sediments were placed. Maintenance dredged silt from the upper Lymington Channel and Yacht Haven were placed on an eroding area of saltmarsh ('Boiler Marsh'). The site was remote from the sediment sources so the maintenance arisings had to be 'double handled'. They were initially dug using a back-hoe dredger and placed in 70m3 hoppers and transported to the site where they were pumped through a 100m pipe to the deposition area. There were two campaigns in February and March 2012 and 2013. A total of 1,330m3 and 3,120m3 were delivered in these two years. Relatively consolidate clay was also present in some hoppers and this presented challenges for moving and pumping the sediment. The pumped sediment was retained in situ using fences made of stakes, willow and straw. These were built across the mouth of the main (eroded) drainage channel and also at intervals throughout the area to create weir-like features and stilling basins.

Documents/References uploaded

References

• ABPmer, 2010. Wightlink - Replacement Lymington to Yarmouth Ferries: Method Statement for the Recharge/Habitat Creation Work
• ABPmer, 2013 Wightlink Replacement Lymington to Yarmouth Ferries: Second Annual Mitigation and Monitoring Report (October 2013) Report R.2142 December 2013