Chesil Beach at Portland, Dorset: Recovering from the winter 2013/14 storms

Chesil Beach, a 18-mile-long shingle barrier beach and iconic feature of the Dorset and East Devon Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site, demonstrated remarkable resilience following severe storm events during winter 2013/14. The study presents new quantitative data on the post-storm recovery rate of the beach at Portland, offering unprecedented insights into its dynamic response to extreme coastal conditions. This research contextualizes the impacts within a long history of flooding, erosion, and landslides that have shaped unique coastal defenses in this area. It highlights the effectiveness of recovery efforts by coastal risk management authorities to restore compromised defenses, providing valuable lessons for managing similar vulnerable sites.

Frampton, A., Watson, N., & Picksley, D. (2018). Chesil Beach at Portland, Dorset: Recovering from the winter 2013/14 storms. Coasts, Marine Structures and Breakwaters 2017, 93–103. https://doi.org/10.1680/cmsb.63174.0093