In the last forty years, our understanding of the physical processes at work at the coast, and our ability to model them, has increased vastly. At the same time, demands on the coast from economic development and tourism, has threatened our natural environment, as has the consequences of climate change and in particular sea level rise.
In the 21st century we value our natural environment and realise that, certainly at the coast, our natural environmental resource is rapidly diminishing. The restoration or creation of habitats not only helps counter this threat to our environment, but also, through establishing a healthy coastal fringe, it forms an effective and sustainable element of managing flood risk. Unsurprisingly, with our pre-eminence in flood and coastal risk management, Halcrow is at the forefront of habitat restoration and creation.
Our comprehensive engineering, scientific and management skills mean we can offer our clients practical and innovative solutions to meet their needs, employing the most up-to-date and cost-efficient techniques for the job. Our specialists work with clients through every stage of a project, helping them through evaluation, planning, design, consultation, procurement and implementation. Employing the latest knowledge and technology, our experienced team members provide fully integrated solutions that take into account both local and estuary-wide considerations.
The team's full range of survey services, using the latest survey technology, means that we can cater to any client's needs from topographic surveys through to full marine surveys. We also undertake benthic and water quality surveys.
As well as the one and two-dimensional modelling software that Halcrow has developed in-house, Halcrow also uses the commercial software packages such as Delft3D and MIKE 11/MIKE 21.
Together, these tools enable us to model complex hydrodynamic situations, not only along an estuary, but also in the surrounding area, so we can quantify things such as flood risk.
Halcrow's expertise in habitat creation includes:
- geology and geomorphology
- marine biology and ecology
- engineering design
- geographical information systems
- estuarine and coastal surveying
- one, two and three-dimensional numerical modelling
- regime and conceptual modelling