Coastal and estuarine managed realignment design issues

This project developed guidance on designing and building schemes that allow land to flood as part of an overall strategy for managing flood risk.

From:
Environment Agency, Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme, and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
15 February 2021
Category:
Environmental management and sustainability
Topics:
Coast, Coastal erosion, Ecosystem service benefits, Natural capital, Sea level rise
Project status:
Completed
Project code:
FD2413
Date of completion:
31 March 2004

Documents

Coastal and estuarine managed realignment design issues - final report (367 KB) WORD

Coastal and estuarine managed realignment design issues - technical report (23 KB) WORD

Coastal and estuarine managed realignment design issues - summary (47 KB) PDF

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Details

Background

Managed realignment means altering flood defences to allow land that was previously protected to be flooded as part a wider strategy for managing the shoreline or estuary. It can be a long-term, sustainable option for managing coasts and estuaries.

A review in 2003 concluded that guidance for practitioners on the designing and building managed realignment projects should be improved. This project provided technical guidance based on current good practice.

Outcome

The final report provides information to help designers and managers:

  • improve how coastal and estuary managed realignment projects are designed and built
  • increase the use of managed realignment while making sure it’s done well
  • increase stakeholder confidence in managed realignment as an option for managing floods
  • encourage more sustainable design and construction for flood management
  • conserve and enhance natural coastal environments

The report covers:

  • the objectives of managed realignment schemes
  • how to decide whether managed realignment is appropriate for a particular site
  • technical guidance on designing and implementing managed realignment schemes

This project ran from 2003 to 2004 at a cost of £97,200.

Published 15 February 2021
Contents