Ardersier Port Ltd. Coastal Processes Assessment September Ardersier Port Ltd. Coastal Processes Assessment Client: Ardersier Port Ltd. Document number: Project number: Status: Issue Author: [Redacted] Reviewer: [Redacted] Date of issue: September Filename: Coastal Processes Assessment Glasgow Aberdeen Inverness Edinburgh Craighall Business Park Banchory Business Alder House Suite Eagle Street Centre Cradlehall Business Park Gyleview House Glasgow Burn O’Bennie Road Inverness Redheughs Rigg G XA Banchory IV GH Edinburgh AB ZU EH DQ [email protected] www.envirocentre.co.uk This report has been prepared by EnviroCentre Limited with all reasonable skill and care, within the terms of the Contract with Ardersier Port Ltd. (“the Client”). The report is confidential to the Client, and EnviroCentre Limited accepts no responsibility of whatever nature to third parties to whom this report may be made known. No part of this document may be reproduced or altered without the prior written approval of EnviroCentre Limited. Ardersier Port Ltd. September Ardersier Port Ltd.; Coastal Processes Assessment Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... . Terms of Reference ................................................................................................................................. . Scope of Report ....................................................................................................................................... . Report Usage ........................................................................................................................................... Context and Methodology ............................................................................................................................... . Development Proposals .......................................................................................................................... . Historic Development and Operation of the Site .................................................................................... . Overview of Previous Coastal Studies ..................................................................................................... . Consultation Process ............................................................................................................................... . Methodology ........................................................................................................................................... Baseline ........................................................................................................................................................... . Overview of Present Conditions .............................................................................................................. . Topography and Bathymetry .................................................................................................................. . Historical Morphological Evolution ......................................................................................................... . Sediment ............................................................................................................................................... . Tidal Regime .......................................................................................................................................... . Wave Climate ........................................................................................................................................ Conceptual Model of Coastal Processes ........................................................................................................ . Morphological Review ........................................................................................................................... . Gravel Transport ................................................................................................................................... . Sand Transport ...................................................................................................................................... . Conceptual Model ................................................................................................................................. Impact Assessment ........................................................................................................................................ . Impact on Coastal Processes ................................................................................................................. . Impact on Designations ......................................................................................................................... Monitoring and Operation ............................................................................................................................. References ............................................................................................................................................................. Appendices A Coastal Modelling Report B Bathymetric Survey Bedform Overview C Photographs Figures Figure .: Photograph of Operational McDermott Yard – Ardersier ..................................................................... Figure .: Wider Moray Firth Bathymetry in Vicinity of Whiteness Head ............................................................. Figure .: Analysis of Historical Mapping – Terrestrial (Green), Intertidal (Yellow) & Subtidal (Blue – White) .... Figure .: Surveyed MHWS Contours ‐ (Blue), (Green) & (Red) ................................................. Figure .: Surveyed MLWS Contours ‐ (Blue), (Green), (Orange) & (Red) ......................... Figure .: Surveyed mCD Contours ‐ (Blue), (Green), (Orange) & (Red).......................... Figure .: Surveyed ‐.mCD Contours ‐ (Blue), (Green), (Orange) & (Red) ................... Figure .: Survey Comparison Cross‐Section Locations ...................................................................................... Figure .: Survey Comparison Cross‐Section (Whiteness Sands to Spit Head) ................................................ Figure .: Survey Comparison Cross‐Section (North to South Across Spit Head) ............................................ Figure .: Survey Comparison Cross‐Section (East to West Across Spit and Inlet) ........................................ Figure .: Distribution of Sand Particle Populations and Grab Sample Locations () ................................. Figure .: Borehole Sections – Spit Crest () ............................................................................................... Figure .: Chart Annotations and Gravel Content () ................................................................................. i Ardersier Port Ltd. September Ardersier Port Ltd.; Coastal Processes Assessment Figure .: Lithogenic Shoreface Gravels (Top Left), Channel Shell Gravel (Top Right), Actively Mobile Rippled Sands (Bottom) ..................................................................................................................................................... Figure .: Modelled Mid‐Flood Spring Tide – Current Speed and Direction (Vector Arrows) ........................... Figure .: Modelled Mid‐Ebb Spring Tide – Current Speed and Direction (Vector Arrows) ............................. Figure .: Modelled Near Low Water Ebb Spring Tide – Current Speed and Direction (Vector Arrows) .......... Figure .: Residual Modelled Peak Spring Flood and Ebb Tidal Current Differential ........................................ Figure .: Offshore Wind Rose and Wave Rose (Met Office Data) ................................................................... Figure .: Offshore Wave and Wind Time Series Plot (Met Office Data) .......................................................... Figure .: Nearshore Wave Climate Result Extraction Locations ...................................................................... Figure .: Wave Roses for Transformed Nearshore Waves with Bathymetry (Jan – June , Points – ) ........................................................................................................................................................................... Figure .: Modelled Nearshore Significant Wave Height ‐ Winter Storm Event ............................................... Figure .: Location and Direction of Bathymetry D Render Views ........................................................... Figure .: D Render A ‐ Bathymetry Looking West Over Spit Head and Channel ..................................... Figure .: D Render B ‐ Bathymetry Looking South‐West From Main Channel Over Former dredged channel to Whiteness Sands ................................................................................................................................. Figure .: D Render C ‐ Bathymetry Looking South‐East Across Main Channel to Spit and Tidal Inlet .... Figure .: Bathymetry Slope Fan Bedform ................................................................................................. Figure .: Bathymetry Bedform Long‐Section Locations ............................................................................ Figure .: Long‐Section A‐A’ of Transverse Dunes Within Main Channel ..........................................................