The Humber Estuary, Eastern England: Strategic planning of flood defences and habitats

The Humber Estuary Shoreline Management Plan provides a long-term strategy for investment in sustainable defences to reduce the risk to people and property from flooding in part of Eastern England. In addition to the estuary’s economic importance with its ports, industry and the third of a million people living on its floodplain, the Humber is of outstanding value for wildlife and its historic environment. The plan has to meet the needs of these activities and take account of rising sea level. It is based on extensive technical studies and modelling. The realignment of some embankments is being examined so that the creation of intertidal habitat will offset losses from coastal squeeze, increase the stability for some lengths of embankment and reduce extreme high flood levels in the tidal rivers. The 80 ha Paull Holme Strays managed realignment wetland was completed in the summer of 2003 and work is in progress on another at Alkborough. Other such realignment will be developed as part of the implementation of the long term strategy.