On sediment dispersal in the Whitsand Bay Marine Conservation Zone: Neighbour to a closed dredge-spoil disposal site
Uncles, R.J.; Clark, J.R.; Bedington, M.; Torres, R. (2020). On sediment dispersal in the Whitsand Bay Marine Conservation Zone: Neighbour to a closed dredge-spoil disposal site, in: Humphreys, J. et al. Marine protected areas: Science, policy and management. pp. 599-629. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-102698-4.00031-9 |
| Keywords | United Kingdom
Marine/Coastal | | Author keywords | Dredge-spoil sediment disposal; Sediment transport; Bed sediments; Suspended sediments; Waves; Whitsand Bay MCZ |
| Authors | | Top | - Uncles, R.J.
- Clark, J.R.
- Bedington, M.
- Torres, R.
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| Abstract | Some ‘thought experiment’ modelling results and interpretations of data and theory are presented to investigate the possibility that Whitsand Bay, UK, and its recently (2013) designated Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ), might have been affected in the past by intrusion of dredge-spoil sediments from the now-closed disposal site located close to the seaward boundary of the MCZ and by suspended sediment and low salinity waters from the adjacent Tamar Estuary and Plymouth Sound. The schematic modelling work (2D and 3D) is considered to provide approximate indications rather than precise predictions. The component of Tamar waters present within the MCZ is computed to be small (<10%). The location of the dredge-spoil (model tracer/particle-release) source point is crucially important to the intrusion of tracer within the MCZ. Modelled bedload sediment transport from the disposal site occurs with high waves and its magnitude and direction is dependent on near-bed tidal, wave and wind-driven currents. |
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