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Spey Bay - sea defence policy
This is a relatively small area of shingle which is derived form the river
Spey and is moved by wave action to form a series of spits across the entrance
to the river. The village of Kingston which lies behind the spit is subject
to occasional flooding as the shingle erodes. Ad hoc protection has not solved
the problem and in some cases protection has simply transferred the erosion
elsewhere. Three options have been considered to combat recent erosion:
- Construction of an offshore breakwater;
- Rock armouring;
- Groynes.
Beach recharge is considered to be the only option compatible with conserving
sediment transfer in the longer term, has resulted in a trial being undertaken.
The erosion has continued and the option of a breakwater is under active consideration,
which may interfere with the transfer of material to the downdrift side (Gemmell
et al. 2001).
Comment: It remains to be seen what will happen but this site provides
a potential case study for monitoring the effects of such a structure in a site
where the shingle is principally derived from a riverine source. This site is
included in the "Guide to the management and
restoration of coastal vegetated shingle" (as Annex 08) where there
are more details of the vegetation development and shingle management.
References
Gemmell, S.L.G., Hansom, J.D. & Hoey, T.B.
2001.
River-coast sediment exchanges: the Spey Bay sediment budget and management implications.
In: Ecology & Geomorphology of Coastal Shingle, eds.Packham, J.R., Randall, R.E., Barnes, R.S.K. & Neal, A.Westbury Academic and Scientific Publishing, 159-167.
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