Sea level changes and protection

The Environment Agency & DDC have issued a consultation document about the best ways to manage the coastal defences from Pegwell to Kingsdown, with submissions required before October 12th :
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/consultations/1835117/?version=1&lang=_e

The preferred options for the Kingsdown area are:

Walmer Castle, Kingsdown and Oldstairs Bay – Maintain The preferred option has been selected since this option would prevent erosion and loss of property, and is the most cost-effective and environmentally acceptable solution.

MoD Rifle Range – Managed realignment The preferred option is Managed Realignment. This would provide the maximum environmental benefit, restoring the coastline towards a more natural process. This option is dependent on further analysis of the site and the availability of funding and intentions of the land owner, who will be responsible for implementation of this option.

The map below estimates the areas threatened by flooding if sea levels rise to a certain level - clearly Thanet will become an island again, and much of Deal and Sandwich will disappear.



As I live on a hill, I say: 'Let them sink' but that's probably not a broadly-held view. [Oh OK, Deal and Sandwich are lovely towns, and should be protected]



During the quiet times on Deal pier (in between the hectic recording of huge numbers of birds flying past ahem) I have wondered what the piece of equipment on the end of the pier did - I assumed it was probably something to stop shipping colliding with the thing in fog.


But no....

...it measures the size of each wave - and the results are used by the Channel Coastal Observatory (http://www.channelcoast.org/) to provide information for development of strategic shoreline management plans, coastal defence strategies and operational management of coastal protection and flood defence.



As previously reported, this August had some rough seas driven by NEasterly gales, and this is shown on their graph:



Perhaps the equipment could double as a bird recorder, to reduce the time spent at the end of the pier in the cold winds of winter? But why should we be deprived of that pleasure?