Annual Report for 2010/11 and Forward Programme - Sellafield Ltd

In the context of the total monitoring, repeat areas represent approximately50% of the 150 hectare programme. Details of the repeat monitoring areasare summarised below and accompanying maps can be found in Appendix 1:Sellafield- 2 x 1 hectare boxesBraystones - 2 x 5 hectare boxesSeascale - 1 x 3 hectare boxSt Bees – 1 X 3 hectare boxThe box areas identified for repeat visits have each been monitoredpreviously in the past four years (some in part and some in their entirety),enabling year-on-year and seasonal change comparisons to be made overthe longest available time periods:Beach Monitoring Area Number of previousmonitoring visitsSellafield 1 (north) 9Sellafield 2 (south) 10Braystones 1 (north) 9Braystones 2 (south) 10Seascale 5St Bees 6The criteria used to select the beach areas to be monitored further afield arebroadly similar to those used for the repeat areas, as set out above. Thebeaches covered have generally lower occupancy and very low find rates.Drigg beach was identified in the HPA risk assessment as having a relativelyhigh uncertainty because of the large total area and the relatively lowcoverage achieved to date. Two return visits have been scheduled with atotal of 9 hectares targeted. The main aim here is to further reduce levels ofuncertainty.The beaches to the north of St Bees have generally low availability ofaccessible sand coverage until Allonby. However, to reflect the apparentdecrease in find rate as you move northwards, 8 hectares has been allocatedto Whitehaven/Harrington areas and a further 4 hectares has been allocatedto Allonby. The main aims here are again a reduction in uncertainty and alsoimproved understanding of particle transport.In addition, 4 hectares has been unassigned, to build flexibility into theprogramme and to allow Sellafield Ltd to respond to developments in both findrates and/or changes in occupancy.