Annual harbour dredging at West Bay and Lyme Regis
Dorset Council carry out the work every Spring
Last updated 16th Feb 2024
The annual dredging of West Bay and Lyme Regis Harbours is getting underway, with Dorset Council staff on site from this week.
Equipment's been offloaded at West Bay and towed to Lyme Regis.
Work's due to be completed there by March 5th.
The beach will also be fenced off on 6th March, with the construction plant mobilised to collect sand and put it back onto Front Beach, coinciding with spring low tides.
The beach will be opened again on 19th March.
The kit will then be moved back to West Bay, for work to continue and be completed by 28th March, in time for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
Dredging is needed to maintain the harbours' navigational channels , as they can suffer from sediment deposits, either from rivers or from the natural action of waves on beaches.
The colour of the dredged sand is often darker in colour, due to the lack of exposure to oxygen on the seabed.
Once exposed to the air it returns to its normal colour.
The dredged sand is placed beneath a layer of the existing sand.
The colour of the sea will also change due to the disruption of the seabed with sand particles suspended in the water.
Swimming is discouraged due to the potential for allergic reactions due to these particles.