Chapter 2: Physical Characteristics

Tidal range is generally between 4 and 5 m; highest tidal ranges are found in the inner Solway Firth where the mean spring tidal range can be between 7 and 8 m. Tidal range is at a minimum in areas known as amphidromic points. One of these points occurs in Scottish waters between Islay and the Mull of Kintrye; another amphidromic point can be found in the north east of the North Sea. Tidal range decreases with distance offshore from the North East coast.

Data source for NMPi Mean Spring Tidal Range layer: Atlas of UK Marine Renewable Energy Resources (see https://www.renewables-atlas.info/)

The UK National Tide Gauge Network is owned and operated by the Environment Agency on behalf of the UK Coastal Flood Forecasting service (a partnership between the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure – Rivers. It records tidal elevations at 44 locations around the UK coast. Data is made available in near real time with measurements reported every 15 mins. The measurements provide mean sea level within each 15 min window and are reported both relative to local datum (unit m) and relative to the Ordnance Datum at Newlyn (unit mAOD).

The seabed surface and its underlying rock formations are a complex mix of geological structures and sediments. This layer is a Web Map Service (WMS) from MAREMAP (Marine Environmental Mapping Programme) from data provided by British Geological Survey. It displays the BGS offshore linear bedrock (1:250K scale).