This week Rotarians and guests enjoyed a talk from the Environment Agency on one of the most important topics our area faces – flood risk and the sea defences.
Locals are familiar with the 1953 Floods in Sutton on Sea which saw 9 major breaches of the sea defences along our coast, the largest of which was in Sandilands at the site now know as Acre Gap. Since then the defences have been improved considerably and the beach raised to protect them as demonstrated in 2013 when we faced worse storm conditions than in 1953 but experienced no flooding or need for evacuation.
Should the defences fail 20,000 properties, 1,700 businesses and 24,000 static caravans would be at risk. Fortunately the current policy is ‘hold the line’ with no plans to sacrifice communities though some empty land be strategically lost in the future. It is perhaps fortunate that 50% of Lincolnshire’s tourism income originates on the coast.
The current strategy of beach re-nourishment, whereby sand is dredged from sites 6 miles out out to sea and pumped onto the beach annually, began in 1994 and is due to continue until 2021 when a new system will be adopted. The details are not yet finalised but it is likely to see new groynes built from rock possibly with ‘fish tails’ at the end combined with limited re-nourishment when required.
Many thanks to Fe Toussaint and Mark Robinson for joining us to impart all of the above information and much more. They were happy to answer our many questions and take part in the well rehearsed debate regarding the pros and cons of the previous wooden groynes.
