Case study:Hesketh Out Marsh Managed Realignment
Project overview
Status | Complete |
---|---|
Project web site | http://www.therrc.co.uk/sites/default/files/projects/49_hesketh.pdf |
Themes | Economic aspects, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Land use management - agriculture, Social benefits, Water quality |
Country | England |
Main contact forename | Georgina |
Main contact surname | Fellows |
Main contact user ID | |
Contact organisation | Environment Agency |
Contact organisation web site | http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency |
Partner organisations | RSPB, Natural England |
Parent multi-site project | |
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
No |
Project summary
In the early 1980s, the intertidal saltmarsh habitat of Hesketh Out Marsh (Photo 1) was reclaimed from the Ribble Estuary for use as farmland (Map 1). Ownership of the land within Hesketh Out Marsh divided this enclosure into two parcels of land: Hesketh Out Marsh West (HOMW) and Hesketh Out Marsh East (HOME) (Map 2).
In 2008, HOMW was reverted to intertidal saltmarsh when the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), in partnership with the Environment Agency, breached the outer flood embankment of this western half (HOMW). This breaching was possible by building a north–south cross-embankment separating the two parcels of land. Those works not only created 168ha of habitat – a nature reserve, owned and managed since by the RSPB – but also realigned the coastal margin for a more natural, robust and sustainable line of coastal flood defence. The challenge was then to do the same on the east
The Hesketh Out Marsh realignment creates a total of 322ha of priority saltmarsh habitat which contributes to a more robust flood defence system, providing a 1 in 200 year standard of flood protection to 143 residential properties, 3 commercial buildings and 300ha of prime agricultural land.
Monitoring surveys and results
Lessons learnt
Image gallery
Catchment and subcatchment
Site
Project background
Cost for project phases
Reasons for river restoration
Measures
MonitoringHydromorphological quality elements
Biological quality elements
Physico-chemical quality elements
Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic
Monitoring documents
Additional documents and videos
Additional links and references
Supplementary InformationEdit Supplementary Information
|