Dawlish Warren

CASE STUDY

ProcessErosion

Management

The Process and location

Dawlish Warren

•The source of material – Langstone Rock

Can you identify joints, lines of weakness, wave cut platform, notch?

Can you see Langstone rock in the distance?

The line of the spit on the offshore side towards the River Exe

Along the crest

Different size beach material gradually builds up to consolidate the feature

Inshore, vegetation plays an important role to stabilise the sand

Small meres appear with brackish water

The town of Exmouth across the estuary

Modification by Humans

Dawlish Warren

At the proximal end buildings occupy the crest line [car park]

From the car park to the spit visitors are ‘led’ by boardwalk

Foot erosion is evident aroung picnic benches …

… or where corners have been cut off

Railway sleepers used on the onshore side to direct tourists

In some places even vehicles have contributed

The key to conservation is to re-establish Marram grass that binds together the sand

and promotes soil development.

Left alone a thick mat builds up

Beside the path, experimental plots have been fenced off at different ages

The contrast between the areas is evident

Other uses – golf course

Dog Walking - note the barrier to stop ‘ridge walking’

Management

Dawlish Warren

Revetment process at the proximal end

Lifeboat ramp for rescue users

Promenade opened in 1993

Promenade, sea wall and rock armour

Rock armour used to protect the old sea wall, can you identify any other ‘important’ users?

Good view from the

railway bridge of wall, rock armour and supply of material

Sea wall with re-curve

Built in sections, the toe is protected with granite blocks

Groynes toward the distal end

Below the sand gabions

have been used to

encourage the sand to

stabilise

These have been eroded away particularly at path corner

Soft Engineering – reused Christmas trees

The wind blows through sand pitching and building up to bury them. Eventually they should bio-degrade

Dawlish Warren