Evidence from the monitoring of the Orpland sites suggests that restoring 'natural' drainage patterns to managed realignment sites is an important consideration (Carpenter 1999). Some practical advice is provided, namely:

• Artificially cutting creeks in coastal realignment sites is recommended for encouraging early plant colonisation and to maximise its range; where possible the original creek network should be excavated. This is often discernible from aerial photographs even if it is not evident from the ground. It is sensible to site breaches at points where major channels intersect the flood embankment;
• If it is not possible to locate the original creeks, it is advisable that a topographic map of the site is produced so that the creek network can be planned to ensure all areas of the site may drain freely. Creek bottoms should be graded to allow water draining from the sediment to flow to the adjoining coastal water throughout the ebb tide;
• Existing subsurface land drains installed to improve drainage when the reclaimed land was used for cereal production, should be left intact. Evidence suggests their presence aids colonisation by saltmarsh species;
• The excavated creek network should be sufficiently dense to reinstate the degree of groundwater flux that occurs in a healthy natural saltmarsh. It is probably impractical to excavate a creek network that is as dense as a natural marsh. It is therefore advised that at least the major creeks are excavated. Further creeks could be cut if monitoring suggests that colonisation by plants and infauna is poorer than expected and this seems to be due to insufficient subsurface drainage.