1. 2013/14 Coastal Storms and Emergency Response in Dorset
Neil Watson
Coastal Engineer Wessex

2. The Dorset Coastal Storms 2013/4
GROUNDWATER
LANDSLIDES & ROCKFALLS
BEACH LOSSES
AGRICULTURAL FLOODING
BATHING WATERS
INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE
ROAD CLOSURES
COASTAL DEFENCES DAMAGE
PROPERTY FLOODING
SEWER FLOODING
Frontage with natural or hard defences
Frontage with Beach Management Plan

3. What storms? - 22nd to 24th December rd to 4th January th to 7th January st February th to 9th February th February th to 16th February rd March 2014.

4. Wessex at alert status 72 Consecutive days
20/01/14
Flood Guidance Statement day by day
Week starting
27/01/14
02/12/13
Wessex at alert status 72 Consecutive days
03/02/14
16/12/13
Wettest Winter in 250 years
Clusters of storms bring extreme wind & waves
10/02/14
23/12/13
The most energetic seas for at least 60 years
17/02/14
30/12/13
High Astronomic tides and Surge
24/02/14
06/01/14
‘Phenomenal’ sea state in shipping forecast
03/03/14
13/01/14

5. Area Incident Room

6. On site

7. Operation Pitchpole How the military supported us and the community
Repair of sea defences
Chesil Beach, Portland
Deployment of sandbags
West Bay & Christchurch
Asset inspections
Merlin flight

8. Storm Return Periods

9. Assessing storm event wave and water levels
Compared observed wave and water level combinations to JPA data stated in BMPs.

10. Lyme Regis – The Cobb 10

11. Waves & Energy
January & February Wave Heights, West Bay (Green line Average, Black line Max) 11

12. Burton Bradstock

13. Landslides & Rockfalls
Burton Bradstock
Bournemouth
Portland
The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC

14. Storm Wave Damage STORM DAMAGE Undermining of promenade
Avon Beach Christchurch
Physical attrition
West Bay Promenade
Beach erosion
Sandbanks
Undermining of Sea wall
Chesil Cove
The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC
Waves containing shingle
Cove Inn Chiswell

15. Roads & Infrastructure
Portland Causeway closed for 8 hours February 5th 2014
The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC
Preston Road Closed 6 occasions

17. Chiswell Storm Damage
6th February 2014

18. Chiswell unexpected impacts

19. Why reprofile the beach?

20. Beach reprofiling
The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC

22. Chesil Beach Incident Management
UNCLASSIFIED

23. Chiswell Warnings and Severe Warnings issued
Date
Time
Level of Warning
03/03/2014 
22:43
Flood Warning Update
21:00
Flood Warning
15/02/2014 
11:12
Flood Warning Update
14/02/2014 
15:18
Severe Flood Warning
12/02/2014 
11:59
08/02/2014 
10:00
07/02/2014 
14:06
06/02/2014 
10:38
05/02/2014 
17:53
08:34
04/02/2014 
18:12
01/02/2014 
11:17
07/01/2014 
15:08
06:30
06/01/2014 
14:51
00:15
04/01/2014 
02:06
03/01/2014 
15:34
23/12/2013 
13:28
22/12/2013 
13:40
27/10/2013 
14:52
The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC

24. Depths and velocity

25. Large objects and masonry washed down opes
The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC

26. Preston Beach Road
Swanage
Beach 00:15 15 February 26

27. Preston Beach Crest Reinforcement
Swanage
Beach 00:15 15 February
Preston Beach Crest Reinforcement 27

28. The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC

29. Shore Road Poole the missing beaches
UNCLASSIFIED

31. Surge Damage

32. The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC

33. The Investigations
UNCLASSIFIED

34. Beach Depletion
The Little Ship 5th February Source BBC

35. The Recovery Programme£k
2013/14
2014/15
2015/16
TOTAL
Local Authorities
461
2730
2340
5531
Environment Agency
813
1286
2099
1274
4016
7630
UNCLASSIFIED

36. The Recovery Programme
UNCLASSIFIED

37. The Investigations Beach profile survey Bathymetry Lidar
Particle size analysis
Laser scans
Air photo reconnaissance
Drainage modelling
Wave data review
National Policy – National Strategy – Plans

38. Modelled Flood Extents 5th February
Flood Depth (m)

39. Range of analysis undertaken:
Post-storm inspections
Beach profile surveys and analysis
Comparing beach levels to trigger levels at Chiswell
Beach stability analysis
Assessing storm event wave and water levels
Post storm analysis has been undertaken since February 2014, and has involved …..

41. Assessing storm event wave and water levels
Matched wave and tide records.

44. Timeline analysis
4th to 9th February 2014

45. Damage to gabion beach reinforcement Ship 5th February Source BBC
Broad cost estimate to replace volume
Lower estimate:
£ 7,838,718
Upper estimate:
£ 11,903,238
Damage to gabion beach reinforcement Ship 5th February Source BBC

46. Chesil Beach - managed section total beach volume

47. Bathymetric comparison Chesil Cove

48. Thank you for your attention