Sustainable Maintenance Dredging Plan for Cowes

Cowes Harbor Commission (CHC) is working on a ‘Sustainable Maintenance Dredging Management Plan’, which will be suitable for, and involve all dredging stakeholders in the harbor.

According to CHC, the main aim is to develop the plan by the end of the year.

All dredging stakeholders will be invited to contribute to the development of the ‘Sustainable Maintenance Dredging Management Plan’, with a forum planned for 5th May, which will include a presentation of Dr Rob Nunny’s studies.

The plan to develop and agree a ‘Sustainable Maintenance Dredging Management Plan’ for the Medina Estuary was first proposed in CHC’s Strategic Framework of 2011 and has been reiterated in CHC’s current Strategic Plan 2016-21.

CHC reported that under the proposed plan, maintenance dredging activities would be coordinated to maintain, as far as is possible, a sustainable balance between navigational requirements, harbor improvements, and natural estuarial features.

The plan could bring considerable benefits to stakeholders, including cost efficiencies through the roll-out of partnership surveying and a CHC-facilitated consenting process, as well as benefits to the environment with a review of dredging methods utilized.

CHC added that the Commission is now in a good position to start developing a Maintenance Dredging Management Plan as a result of the increased data and detailed information available in reports compiled by estuarine sedimentation consultant Dr Rob Nunny of Ambios Environmental Consultants Ltd.

Dr Nunny’s first report of May 2016, ‘Medina Estuary Sedimentary Processes’ provided a conceptual understanding of the harbor both historically and up to the present day.