We produced the Greater Thames Coastal Habitat Management Plan (CHaMP) on behalf of the Environment Agency. This CHaMP can be distinguished from previous CHaMPs in a number of respects including a greater focus on the ecological implications of the predicted changes and the consideration of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

We took a phased approach to this work building from a conceptual understanding of the estuary processes/morphological evolution and an inventory of existing habitats to future predictions of physical changes over timescales of 20, 50 and 100 years. The implications of these morphological changes on habitats were then assessed.

The outputs from the earlier phases were then combined into a habitat gain/loss account for the study area and the ecological consequences evaluated. The predicted changes to the hydrology, morphology and associated habitats and species within the study area were also reviewed in the context of the Water Framework Directive.