Twyn Coastal Defence Scheme
In 2010 a £6m coastal defence scheme was completed at Tywyn, Gwynedd. The following changes have been made to the existing coastal defence scheme:
- Replace existing groyneswith shorter (35 m) groynes
- Rock groynesand Bryn y Morrevetment
- New timber groynes
- Slipway reconstruction
- Warwick Place breakwater
- Concrete platform and steps
- Beach nourishment
For more information visit the Jones Bros website
URBANE research on habitat enhancement
The URBANE team have been working with Gwynedd Council and SMS Wales to incorporate rock pools of varying depths into the new breakwater at Tywyn.
The artificial pools were created in October 2011 and will continue to be monitored over the course of the project. It is expected that the biodiversity in pool habitats will be greater than the adjacent emergent rock.
URBANE research on Impact on soft sediment communities
The URBANE team are working with Gwynedd Council to investigate the impact of the new breakwater on beach infaunal communities and monitor recover following construction.
Samples were collected in February 2010 during construction and continue to be collected every 6 months until the end of the project.
Construction of the breakwater begins-January 2010 |
Old wooden groynes-January 2010 |
Rock arriving by road-January 2010 |
Completed breakwater -October 2010 |
Sabellaria alveolata, barnacles, mussels, anemones & limpets on adjacent old rock groyne-October 2010 |
Fucoid germlings colonizing "damp" patch on breakwater after 6 months -October 2010 |
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Infaunal core sampling on the beach at Tywyn, summer 2010. Photo: L. Firth |