Barriers have been installed at the Hamble Estuary to stop it from washing away.

The sediment retention barriers have been put in place in a bid to help plants to grow and help the saltmarsh habitat recover.

The River Hamble Harbour Authority (RHHA) has told the Hampshire County Council management committee that the  barriers have been recently placed in a “fragmented” saltmarsh at Hackett’s Marsh.

Saltmarsh is a coastal wetland flooded and drained by salt water brought in by the tides.

The barriers will be combined with biodegradable materials, and saltmarsh species will be planted to see if they help sediment build up and plant growth, which should help the saltmarsh habitat recover.

The study reveals a significant reduction in the saltmarsh and mudflats of the Hamble, where fine silt and clay sediments settle.

This reduction highlights the need to restore the habitat’s quality, which the sediment retention barriers aim to address.

The change rates of saltmarsh in the River Hamble are influenced by a variety of factors.

These include wave attacks, sea level rise, dredging, reclamation, development, and pollution.

Between 1971 and 2014, 20 per cent of the saltmarsh was lost, of which three per cent was lost between 2007 and 2014.

For that reason, RHHA continues to support the Solent Seascape Project and its partners in protecting and restoring marine ecosystems in the Hamble.