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Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat

Jonathan Dale Orcid Logo, Cai Ladd Orcid Logo, Michelle Farrell Orcid Logo, Michael P. Kennedy Orcid Logo, Gabriela Ciappara, Chloe James, Iain Fairley

Journal of Environmental Management, Volume: 407, Start page: 129798

Swansea University Author: Cai Ladd Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129798

Abstract

Globally, approximately 46.4% of saltmarsh has been lost or degraded. Sedimentation fields are one method of restoring and creating compensatory intertidal habitat, by enclosing mudflat to reduce hydrological forcing, trap sediment, and encourage saltmarsh establishment. To date, sedimentation field...

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Published in: Journal of Environmental Management
ISSN: 0301-4797 1095-8630
Published: Elsevier BV 2026
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71861
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To date, sedimentation fields have predominantly been studied using numerical models or with a focus on the initial deposition of sediment and plant colonisation. Consequently, it remains unknown whether the created habitat in sedimentation fields can become self-sustaining or whether there is a need for continued maintenance to prevent subsequent erosion. Here, we present a novel empirical investigation of Rumney Great Wharf, Wales, where sedimentation fields were constructed between 1989 and 2005 but no maintenance has been carried out since 2010. Hydrodynamic measurements indicate greater spatial differences in current velocity during the summer, and that suspended particulate matter was higher outside the sedimentation fields in comparison to inside the enclosed area during the summer but not during the winter. Between May 2023 and 2024, 87% of the surface area of the sedimentation fields experienced erosion resulting in the net loss of 9531 m3 of sediment. This loss occurred despite indications from on-site sediment trap data that there is the potential for sediment to accrete at more than 10 cm/year at mudflat sites and up to 9 cm/year at saltmarsh sites. These results suggest that the created marsh is not self-sustaining, and continued maintenance of the sedimentation fields might be required. Further research is required into sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields, both to inform the management of such schemes and to identify suitable locations for future sedimentation field construction. 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spelling 2026-05-07T10:55:13.4746627 v2 71861 2026-05-07 Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat 134c870190db4c365e2ccc2d6c107462 0000-0001-5437-6474 Cai Ladd Cai Ladd true false 2026-05-07 BGPS Globally, approximately 46.4% of saltmarsh has been lost or degraded. Sedimentation fields are one method of restoring and creating compensatory intertidal habitat, by enclosing mudflat to reduce hydrological forcing, trap sediment, and encourage saltmarsh establishment. To date, sedimentation fields have predominantly been studied using numerical models or with a focus on the initial deposition of sediment and plant colonisation. Consequently, it remains unknown whether the created habitat in sedimentation fields can become self-sustaining or whether there is a need for continued maintenance to prevent subsequent erosion. Here, we present a novel empirical investigation of Rumney Great Wharf, Wales, where sedimentation fields were constructed between 1989 and 2005 but no maintenance has been carried out since 2010. Hydrodynamic measurements indicate greater spatial differences in current velocity during the summer, and that suspended particulate matter was higher outside the sedimentation fields in comparison to inside the enclosed area during the summer but not during the winter. Between May 2023 and 2024, 87% of the surface area of the sedimentation fields experienced erosion resulting in the net loss of 9531 m3 of sediment. This loss occurred despite indications from on-site sediment trap data that there is the potential for sediment to accrete at more than 10 cm/year at mudflat sites and up to 9 cm/year at saltmarsh sites. These results suggest that the created marsh is not self-sustaining, and continued maintenance of the sedimentation fields might be required. Further research is required into sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields, both to inform the management of such schemes and to identify suitable locations for future sedimentation field construction. Assessments of marsh functioning and ecosystem service delivery in sedimentation fields are also needed to provide justification for future implementations of this restoration method. Journal Article Journal of Environmental Management 407 129798 Elsevier BV 0301-4797 1095-8630 Saltmarsh; Restoration; Sedimentation fields; Sedimentary processes; Sediment properties; Hydrodynamics 1 5 2026 2026-05-01 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129798 COLLEGE NANME Biosciences Geography and Physics School COLLEGE CODE BGPS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee Natural Resources Wales 2026-05-07T10:55:13.4746627 2026-05-07T10:40:47.2084866 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography Jonathan Dale 0000-0002-5242-8071 1 Cai Ladd 0000-0001-5437-6474 2 Michelle Farrell 0000-0002-5648-832x 3 Michael P. Kennedy 0000-0003-4936-6487 4 Gabriela Ciappara 5 Chloe James 6 Iain Fairley 7 71861__36673__e75cadf8eeb2412aa501136d71ee84b6.pdf 71861.VOR.pdf 2026-05-07T10:48:50.5683483 Output 6013032 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2026 The Authors. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY license. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat
spellingShingle Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat
Cai Ladd
title_short Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat
title_full Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat
title_fullStr Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat
title_full_unstemmed Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat
title_sort Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields: the requirement for continued maintenance to preserve restored intertidal habitat
author_id_str_mv 134c870190db4c365e2ccc2d6c107462
author_id_fullname_str_mv 134c870190db4c365e2ccc2d6c107462_***_Cai Ladd
author Cai Ladd
author2 Jonathan Dale
Cai Ladd
Michelle Farrell
Michael P. Kennedy
Gabriela Ciappara
Chloe James
Iain Fairley
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Environmental Management
container_volume 407
container_start_page 129798
publishDate 2026
institution Swansea University
issn 0301-4797
1095-8630
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129798
publisher Elsevier BV
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography
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description Globally, approximately 46.4% of saltmarsh has been lost or degraded. Sedimentation fields are one method of restoring and creating compensatory intertidal habitat, by enclosing mudflat to reduce hydrological forcing, trap sediment, and encourage saltmarsh establishment. To date, sedimentation fields have predominantly been studied using numerical models or with a focus on the initial deposition of sediment and plant colonisation. Consequently, it remains unknown whether the created habitat in sedimentation fields can become self-sustaining or whether there is a need for continued maintenance to prevent subsequent erosion. Here, we present a novel empirical investigation of Rumney Great Wharf, Wales, where sedimentation fields were constructed between 1989 and 2005 but no maintenance has been carried out since 2010. Hydrodynamic measurements indicate greater spatial differences in current velocity during the summer, and that suspended particulate matter was higher outside the sedimentation fields in comparison to inside the enclosed area during the summer but not during the winter. Between May 2023 and 2024, 87% of the surface area of the sedimentation fields experienced erosion resulting in the net loss of 9531 m3 of sediment. This loss occurred despite indications from on-site sediment trap data that there is the potential for sediment to accrete at more than 10 cm/year at mudflat sites and up to 9 cm/year at saltmarsh sites. These results suggest that the created marsh is not self-sustaining, and continued maintenance of the sedimentation fields might be required. Further research is required into sedimentary processes in sedimentation fields, both to inform the management of such schemes and to identify suitable locations for future sedimentation field construction. Assessments of marsh functioning and ecosystem service delivery in sedimentation fields are also needed to provide justification for future implementations of this restoration method.
published_date 2026-05-01T12:58:02Z
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