Princes Channel - Environmental FocusWith a view to improving safety, and with the objective of maintaining a more consistent depth profile in the southern approaches to the Thames Estuary, the PLA has deepened Princes Channel to a depth of 8.0m below chart datum, which involved the removal of approximately 2.5 million m3 of dredged material. Before dredging comenced a comprehensive Environmental Assessment (PDF – 1.7 Mb) was undertaken, which studied the likely environmental effects of the dredging and included current, overflow and plume modelling.The assessment concluded that the sand removeal would not have an adverse impact on the natural environment, nor would it significantly affect either the water flow or water quality at this location. Click here for further Information on the archaeological aspects of the Princes Channel development. Information is also available on Wessex Archaeology's web pages (opens in a new browser window). The PLA completed the first stage of the dredging of Princes Channel in 2006. Approximately 350,000m3 of sand was taken from the channel and used in a regeneration project at Rochester Riverside. In line with Government regulations, and in accordance with the London Convention and OSPAR requirements, the use of the sand from the PLA's navigation channel removed the need for the use and depletion of more limited natural resources. the PLA's River Regime and Environment (RR&E) department has been monitoring the movement of the sand that has been placed at this site. The images below show some of the changes to the river bed over the placement period of several weeks. Areas coloured green show only small degrees of change, red areas have shallowed, and blue areas have become deeper when compared to the river bed before the placement. Initial Survey Difference Model: one week into Sand Placement Phase
|
