Dungeness to Pett Levels CHaMP - summary of interest

Dungeness to Pett Levels lies at the extreme end of a large 'drift cell' which begins at Selsey Bill in the west. The CHaMP includes the "Romney Marshes" the largest area of coastal marshes in England. It extends for 32km from the cliffs at Hythe in Kent to the cliffs at Fairlight in East Sussex, going inland to the old cliff line and up the valleys of several rivers, including the Rother which exits at Rye Harbour - covering some 270 km2 in total. The coast is dominated by the shingle ridges which make up the Dungeness foreland and the levels which are drained by a complex of ditches that flow into the Royal Military Canal, the rivers and eventually the sea. There is a small sand dune at Camber.

Offshore, the submarine relief appears to be very gentle, with the sea bed sloping gently to 18 m (10 fathoms) across a broad shelf up to 10km wide. Beyond the 10 fathom line the depth increases more rapidly. The cuspate shingle foreland of Dungeness extends to the edge of the shelf and it appears that the eastward growth has been limited by the deeper water. Relative sea level rise is rapid (2.2 mm per year 1961-98) as continued subsidence is combined with the effects of climate warming.

Much of the 'drift cell' lies out side the boundary of the CHaMP The shoreline is predominantly composed of shingle derived from the erosion of the cliffs including those at Beachy Head and Fairlight which also feed the shingle sites within the Champ There are several other areas of enclosed former tidal marsh, such as the Pett Levels.