English Channel

Sea level; Temperature of the water column; Wave height and period statistics

Wave recorders; water temperature sensor; laser altimeters; cameras

Local authorities, the Environment Agency and Coastal Groups of the southeast of England are working with a collective vision, to develop a long-term region wide coastal process monitoring and analysis programme. Following many years of ad-hoc monitoring of coastal processes within the southeast, an extensive integrated survey programme has been developed to cover approx. 1000km of open coastline and estuaries between Portland Bill and the Isle of Grain. The programme is expected to cost approx 1.5m per year and will initially be funded for a period of five years, but with an expectation that the programme will continue indefinitely. The main funding source is DEFRA, Local Authorities and the Environment Agency. Funding commenced in August 2002. The programme will act as a regional pilot model that may later be used within other regions of England and Wales. Data will be collected via a series of contracts and also by in-house local authority teams.

Channel Coastal Observatory
Appletree Court, Beaulieu Road
Lyndhurst
Hampshire
SO43 7PA
United Kingdom