The Environment Agency has a strategic role with respect to coastal protection and flood risk management. In order to most appropriately manage coastal erosion and marine flood risk, particularly over long timescales and within large scale systems, the Agency requires a clear means of understanding and predicting coastal geomorphological behaviour.

Coastal geomorphology relates to landform features and land forming processes that are shaped by atmospheric, terrestrial and marine processes. In order to quantify the geomorphological evolution of a stretch of coastline, it is necessary to analyse the system state in terms of:

• the nature of the coastline
• its origins
• its composition
• its controlling and forcing mechanisms
• its behavioural characteristics.

Coastal landforms are dynamic systems that function over a range of temporal and spatial scales. Due to this dynamism, the understanding and prediction of coastal geomorphological behaviour is a continually evolving science. The present study provides and opportunity to further develop the ability to understand and predict large scale, longer term coastal evolution.

Coastal geomorphology requires understanding of how the features combine and interact within a functioning coastal system. Each feature in the coastal system can be broken down into one or more geomorphological units with particular characteristics. For example, data analysis and modelling have been used to provide a framework for assessing linkages between coastal and nearshore banks.

In order to provide generic tools that can be applied throughout the UK, it is necessary to understand and be able to predict the changes that occur within each geomorphological unit and the exchanges between each unit. The present study will focus on the development of a Conceptual Model with the ultimate aim of developing practical modelling and analysis tools that will enable scientists and engineers to predict the mide to long term morphology of our coastlines, enabling the impacts of coastal management options to be examined.

The client for this study is the UK Environment Agency. The study team will be led by HR Wallingford Ltd and comprises the following organisations:

• HR Wallingford Ltd
• Royal Haskoning
• University College London
• University of Southampton
• Newcastle University
• British Geological Survey
• Kenneth Pye Associates.

For further information on this study please contact:
Dr Richard Whitehouse (r.whitehouse@hrwallingford.co.uk)