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Impact of Winter 2013/14 Storms on Chesil Beach Sediment: Research Findings at Loughborough University

This study evaluates the influence of the 2013/14 winter storms on sediment at Chesil Beach and subsequent remediation efforts. Using a Digital Gravelometer, researchers at Loughborough University analyzed particle size and composition, identifying limited evidence of significant impact. The report, available in the university's repository, offers valuable insights for future monitoring and management of this UNESCO-protected site.

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Impact of Winter 2013/14 Storms on Chesil Beach Sediment: Research Findings at Loughborough University

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  1. Identifying the impact of the winter 2013/14 storms and subsequent remediation work on the sediment at Chesil Beach Dr David Graham Department of Geography Loughborough University

  2. Context of Chesil Beach • UNESCO • SAC • SPA • SSSI • Geomorphology • Particle size and composition BMU 3 BMU 1& 2 Cove Inn

  3. January / February 2014 storms

  4. Why is grain size important? • SSSI citation • ‘Closed system’ – only ‘18 billion’ pebbles left! • Uncertainty remains over causes of size grading • Control on flood risk • Wave energy/run up • Percolation and overtopping

  5. Digital Gravelometer • Commercial software package developed at Loughborough • Photographic sampling + digital image analysis • Originally developed for river sediments • Used internationally • Key benefits: • Very rapid • facilitates high-resolution sampling • cost effective • Non-destructive

  6. 27 profiles • 189 samples • c. 1000 images • Consistent locations

  7. 27 'Wolman' samples for control

  8. Results: magnitude of errors • Image processing procedures not optimised for beach sediments (well sorted) • Calibrated using 'Wolman' data • Small errors after calibration (c. 5%)

  9. Results: along-beach trends

  10. Results: across-beach trends

  11. Results: summary diagram

  12. Key finding: “Limited evidence” of impact • Long shore: • No obvious discontinuity at management boundary • Some evidence of difference in ‘shape’ of grain size distribution but magnitude very small • Cross shore: • Most variation in managed unit BUT this was small and within most dynamic section of the beach • Project generated benchmark dataset for future monitoring

  13. The report is available in the Loughborough University Institutional Repository: • https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/18808 • The data are available in the Loughborough University Data Repository: • DOI:10.17028/rd.lboro.2002947

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