Benacre Broad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Benacre Broad |
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 Benacre Broad
Location in England
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| Location | Benacre, Suffolk |
| Coordinates | 52°23′17″N 1°42′32″E / 52.388°N 1.709°E |
| Type | lagoon |
Benacre Broad is a special kind of lake, called a lagoon, found right next to the North Sea on the coast of Suffolk, an English county. It's near the village of Benacre, about 1 kilometer (0.5 miles) north of Covehithe. You can find it about 3 kilometers (2 miles) east of Wrentham, 7 kilometers (4.5 miles) north of Southwold, and 10 kilometers (6.25 miles) south of Lowestoft.
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What is Benacre Broad?
Benacre Broad is a unique coastal lagoon. A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land, like a sandbar or beach. This broad is very important for nature.
Protected Areas
Benacre Broad is part of the Benacre National Nature Reserve. This reserve is a special place for wildlife, managed by an organization called Natural England. It also belongs to other important protected areas:
- The Pakefield to Easton Bavents Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's a place of special interest for its plants, animals, or geology.
- The Benacre and Easton Bavents Lagoons Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This is an area protected because it has important natural habitats and species.
How Benacre Broad Changes
Over time, Benacre Broad has changed a lot, especially because of the sea.
Water Levels and Saltiness
The main area of the broad used to be several smaller pools. In 1996, new small pools were dug. This was done to help protect the habitats from coastal erosion and increasing saltiness of the water.
In 1997, a survey showed the broad was about 5 hectares (12 acres) in size. But things changed dramatically in 2011.
The 2011 Tidal Surge
At the end of November 2011, a very high tide, called a tidal surge, broke through the narrow beach. This beach usually separates Benacre Broad from the sea. When the sea broke through, it flooded the broad.
This event caused the water in the broad to become much saltier. A survey in February 2012 found that the broad had grown to 43 hectares (106 acres). The water's saltiness had also increased a lot, reaching 22 parts per thousand. Even though the water depth increased, some separate pools within the lagoon stayed fresh.
Recent Changes
In 2020, the beach was breached again. This means the sea broke through once more. As of December 2020, there is a channel that connects the broad to the sea. This channel allows salt water to flow into the broad when the tide is high. When the tide goes out, the fresh water from the broad can drain into the sea.
