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Type
Lecture

Lower Otter Restoration Project

Event organised by ICE

Date
19 February 2025
Time
18:30 - 20:00 GMT
Location
Creative Innovation Centre, CIC
The Memorial Hall
Paul Street
Taunton, TA1 3PF
United Kingdom
Add to Calendar 19-02-2025 18:30 19-02-2025 20:00 false Europe/London Lower Otter Restoration Project https://www.ice.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/lower-otter-restoration-project Creative Innovation Centre, CIC, Taunton

Free

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Overview

The Lower Otter Estuary is situated near Budleigh Salterton in East Devon. The community and ecosystem faced growing challenges due to climate change and sea level rise combined with the impacts of more extreme storms and rainfall events. Human modification of the estuary had disrupted natural processes and created an unsustainable system, which was unable to adapt to these pressures.

The team at the Lower Otter Restoration Project worked with local people and partner organisations to identify and implement changes to reinstate natural processes. This involved reconnecting the river, estuary and floodplain, and delivering a more sustainable landscape, rich in wildlife, with the capacity to adapt.

The project created 55 hectares of nationally rare intertidal habitat, compensating for regional losses caused by sea level rise. Vulnerable infrastructure has been adapted or relocated out of the flood plain, including roads, footpaths, water company assets and local cricket facilities. The relocation means homes, businesses and the community are more resilient to the effects of sea level rise and fluvial flooding.

The site has already been designated as a National Nature Reserve. The project was given the Community Award at the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2024.

This presentation will cover the development and implementation of the project, from the initial partnership discussions through the appraisal of the options to the project design and completion.

Venue

Creative Innovation Centre, CIC
The Memorial Hall
Paul Street
Taunton
TA1 3PF
United Kingdom

Programme

18:00 - 18:30
Doors Open
18:30 - 19:30
Presentation

Speaker

Megan Rimmer

Megan Rimmer

Environment Agency

senior project manager

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Megan Rimmer

Megan Rimmer is a senior project manager with the Environment Agency in Exeter.  She is a chartered civil engineer and member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.  She has spent the majority of her career with the Environment Agency, managing varied projects ranging from flood risk management schemes to habitat creation projects such as the recent Lower Otter Restoration Project.