The European Beachmed (Interreg IIIb-Medoc) project, which ended in December 2004, created the ENV1 protocol which was shared by some of the regions that are taking part into the project.
The subproject aims to share this protocol with other European regions (with an interest in the dredging of sand collected for beach nourishment of areas affected by erosion) and also verify whether it can be applied to other geographical areas.
The subproject also aims to focus on the problems created by variations in turbidity levels and/or sedimentation rates which can be caused by the movement of relict sand (dredging and nourishing), by identifying specific methodologies which can estimate and monitor these parameters out at sea and near the coasts. Specific pilot projects will also be carried out to cover these scenarios. The variation in sedimentation rates in the coastal areas affected by beach nourishment activities will then be studied, under natural conditions and for scenarios taking place during these initiatives, including sensitive ecosystems such as Posidonia oceanica (species protected by European Habitat directive). The variation in turbidity levels caused by dredging will be studied in areas out at sea that possess this type of sand deposit based on the characteristics of the different types of deposits (at surface or covered by a layer of pelitic sediment).