Sediment Cells

The movement of sand and shingle in the nearshore zone by longshore drift has been found to occur in discrete, functionally separate sediment cells.

There are 11 such cells around England and Wales with smaller sub cells within them eg from The Wash to The Thames.

The main cells are defined as a length of coast and its associated nearshore area within which the movement of coarser sediment is largely self contained.

Interruptions to sediment within one cell should not affect beaches in adjacent cells.