Your reporter says Dorset Council has announced it will start to lower the level of the beach near the sea wall to help protect seafront properties from flooding (October 14).
Well that may prevent the nuisance of sand blowing about, but it is not going to have much effect on the two causes of increasing flooding.
Global warming has been going on for tens of thousands of years. Scotland was heavily glaciated while southern England was not.
‘Isosteicy’ caused Scotland to be depressed.
Relieved of the weight of the ice, Edinburgh is now rising at 2.6mm per year, while the south coast of England is sinking at the same rate.
But the sea is rising globally at 3mm per year due to global warming. So the sea is getting deeper on the south coast by 5.6mm per year. That is a foot since I came here. It is very noticeable on the south west side of Portland Harbour. You could go cockling a quarter of a mile off shore at low tides; no longer.
The 1811 ordnance survey map shows a route across the sands to Portland. The sea was much lower then. Hence Sands Fort - Sandsfoot!
And do not forget the storm and sea surge of 1824 which destroyed the nave of the church at Fleet. Such events are becoming more frequent worldwide. Tsunamis are a feature of the Pacific Ocean but history records that they can happen here.
Weymouth is very exposed to the forces of nature.
Reg Bratt
Old Castle Road,
Weymouth
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