Coastal realignment - Lower Otter Restoration Project

Introduction

The River Otter is a small river located in east Devon. From its source in the Blackdown Hills, the river flows 44km (27 miles) south to discharge into the English Channel at Budleigh Salterton.

The river flows through a rural farming landscape, with mostly small cattle, sheep and dairy farms.There are many smaller tributaries which promote rapid runoff after rainfall events. The river rises and falls very quickly.

Much of the Lower Otter valley is flat and low-lying. Flooding is common following extreme rainfall events.

About 200 years ago, embankments were constructed to reclaim part of the floodplain for agriculture. Some of the land has been used for recreation (e.g. the cricket club), for car parking and even a municipal rubbish tip!

All this is about to change!

• The embankments are in need of repair and are in danger of being breached
• With sea levels predicted to rise by up to 1m by 2100, the area is at increasing rise from seawater flooding.
• Seawater flooding threatens to flood agricultural land, inundate roads and footpaths and flood trees and hedgerows on the floodplain.

In response to these issues, the Lower Otter is being restored to a more natural state, a sustainable solution to the issue of climate change. This involves the breaching of existing embankments and the creation of saltmarsh. The coastline will be realigned.

Working in collaboration with Devon Clinton Estates, we have written classroom resources to deliver this fascinating topic. Click the links below to download a Powerpoint presentation, an accompanying student worksheet and an OS mapwork activity.