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Back to overview measures
Monitoring included:
Table 1: Monitoring parameters and Welwick
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Welwick
Table of content
- 1. Measure description
- 1a. Description of the issue and measure
- 1b. Monitoring
- 1c. Monitoring results
- 2. Execution of main effectiveness criteria
- 2a. Effectiveness according to development targets of measure
- 2b. Impact on ecosystem services
- 2c. Degree of synergistic effects and conflicts according to uses
- 3. Additional evaluation criteria in view of EU environmental law
- 3a. Degree of synergistic effects and conflicts according to WFD aims
- 3b. Degree of synergistic effects according to Natura 2000 aims
- 4. Crux of the matter
Monitoring
A 10 year monitoring programme was initiated to describe both changes to habitat fronting the realignment (in relation to bathymetry, saltmarsh evolution, invertebrates and waterfowl), and to the realignment site itself (in relation to topography, saltmarsh composition, changes to intertidal invertebrates and waterfowl usage).Monitoring included:
- Topographic surveys - LiDAR/Laser;
- Waterfowl surveys - details unknown, but expected to be once monthly over the autumn/winter/spring;
- Terrestrial bird survey (including breeding bird survey) - details unknown, but likely to be during the spring and annually; and
- Fish - Student project looking at usage of site (fyke nets etc).
Table 1: Monitoring parameters and Welwick
| Construction | Start Date | Initial frequency | Initial duration | Adaptations to original monitoring | End date |
| Welwick managed realignment | |||||
| Topographic Survey | 1 month before inundation | annually | 5 years post inundation (fronting realignment) 10 years post inundation (within realignment) |
Monitored every other year since 2009 Original laser survey also changed to LiDAR survey after initial year. |
2011 2016 |
| Saltmarsh composition | Summer before construction | annually | 5 years post inundation (fronting realignment) 10 years post inundation (within realignment) |
Due to health and safety concerns over access a number of original transects fronting the realignment were not surveyed post breach | 2011 2016 |
| Monitoring of grassland | 1st summer following inundation | annually | 5 years post inundation | 2011 | |
| Monitoring of saline pools | 1st summer following creation | annually | 5 years post inundation | Continued monitoring in progress – every other year | 2013 |
| Changes to intertidal invertebrates | Summer before construction | annually | 5 years post inundation (fronting realignment) 10 years post inundation (within realignment) |
Samples were originally collected in triplicate on the mudflat outside the realignment but after first couple of years only one sample has been analysed | 2011 2016 |
| Sediments | Summer before construction | annually | 5 years post inundation (fronting realignment) 10 years post inundation (within realignment) |
2011 2016 |
|
| Waterfowl usage of realignment area | Overwinter season before construction | monthly (Sept - Mar) |
5 years post inundation (fronting realignment) 10 years post inundation (within realignment) |
2011-2012 2016-2017 |
|
| Breeding birds | 1st summer following inundation | April and May | 5 years post inundation | 2011 | |