Poor weather means extra dredging possible for Dorset Harbours
Extra silt's built up at West Bay, Lyme Regis and Weymouth
Heavy recent rain may add to dredging costs at Dorset harbours.
Significant amounts of silt - beyond the ‘normal’ winter amounts - are said to be having an effect on harbour water levels at West Bay.
The storm gates into the harbour have been open longer than normal to cope with flows from the river.
At Weymouth, there has also been a build up, to a lesser extent, as mud-laden water from the River Wey and Radipole lake makes its way to the sea.
Harbourmaster at Weymouth, Ed Carter, says that the levels will continue to be monitored but, for the moment, key areas of the harbour remain with adequate depth, although he says that targeted dredging might be needed in some areas later.
At West Bay, the annual dredging has just been completed, with the Dorset Council dredging team now at Lyme Regis, where they are expected to complete their work there within the next week.
Harbourmaster James Radcliff says the West Bay situation will continue to be monitored, but might need some intervention if natural process of scouring do not remove the larger than normal levels of silt build-up.