Salt Marsh Erosion in Essex

DURING the course of a detailed sedimentological investigation of the Dengie peninsula mud flats in eastern Essex it has become apparent that marine erosion is currently the dominant process at work over the northern mile and a half of ground. The net result of this process is that the width of the salt marshes at the northern end, adjacent to Sales Point and St. Peter's Chapel, is diminishing. Fig. 1 illustrates the position of the salt-marsh edge in September 1953 and June 1960, during which period it is clear that the edge has retreated towards the sea-wall anything up to 300 ft. These two positions were traced from aerial photographs, but current detailed mapping on the ground has demonstrated that marsh retreat is still continuing. For example, approximately 270 yards to the south-south-east of Sales Point the salt-marsh width has decreased by 100 ft. since 1960. On the other hand, at about another 1,000 yards to the south-south-east the decrease has been negligible.