FAQ
All the answers to your questions about ECOPLAGE
What are the main characteristics of the Ecoplage process?
Who developped this technology?
How is this process innovative?
On which beaches has it been installed?
What are the main advantages of the Ecoplage process over different existing systems?
How does the process also play naturally the role of reinforcing the existing protections?
How long is the installation process?
Can ressources from seawater filtered by the process be valued?
What are the main characteristics of the Ecoplage® process ?
The Ecoplage® method rests on the principle of natural drainage of sea water by sand filtration. The Ecoplage® solution consists of burying drains of a lenght determined by a preliminary study about two feet below the beach. The drain buried paralllel to the coastline will help dry out the beach in the surf zone and prevent the removal of sediment at the time of the backward flow of the waves. The system is invisible and silent and it respects fauna and flora without affecting the neighboring shores.
How does it work?
The Ecoplage® method is based on the physical priniiple of the lowering of the phreatic water table by graviting drainage. The system drains the water contained in the basement supporting the natural sand deposit on the surface of the beach. Water flows by gravity into the drains and then to a pump station. Drainage reduces the pore pressure between the grains of sand which increases their cohesion and makes them more resistant to the action of strong waves.
Water could then be used for various applications. The Ecoplage® system thus makes it possible to stop erosion, to stabilize and to rebuild sand beaches.
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Who developped this technology?
This process was invented in 1981 by the Danish institute GEO. In 1999, the ECOPLAGE company signed an exclusive agreement with GEO for the development and using of the process, initially nationally and now globally.
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How is this process innovative?
ECOPLAGE is to date the only company worldwide to provide this soft and natural technological solution to fight against erosion. This is the only method of coastal protection which does not constitute a physical barrier and which uses the natural forces of the beach (wind, waves...). The system is invisible and silent. It respects the fauna and flora without affecting the neighboring shores. Moreover, the filtered seawater can be reused and promoted.
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On which beaches has it been installed?
ECOPLAGE company proceeded to the installation of Ecoplage® on beaches facing all types of tidal range (difference in water level between high tide and low tide) on the beach of Sables d’Olonne (85) in 1999 and in 2002, on the beaches of Agay in Saint Raphaël and Sainte Maxime (83) in 2004, on the beach of Villers sur Mer (14) in 2003 and finally on the beach of Quend (80) in 2008.
Previously, other facilities were designed by GEO in the world (Italy, Denmark, Malaysia, USA…).
To know more about these facilities, go to "References" on our website.
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The various facilities developed in France by ECOPLAGE since 1999, all of which have included independent monitoring, have fully demonstrated their effectiveness.
On the beach of Sables d’Olonne studies have noted an increase from 10 to 15 m of width of beach at high tide and 40 to 50 cm of sand average.
On the beach of Agay, Saint Raphaël, monitoring showed an increase of 10 m³/ m that is to say a linear increase of 3 to 8 m of width of the beach.
On the beach of Quend, measures have found a raising of 80 cm to 1 m of sand at the foot of the seawall (+22 000 m3 a year).
How is this an alternative?
It is a natural and effective solution. This method allows as a result of its installation, a stoppage or a reduction in the re-nourishment of sand on eroded beaches. The introduction of rigid defensive work becomes obsolete. The maintenance operations on the existing structures decrease. The local government agencies realize overall savings in the management of their seashore.
What are the main advantages of the Ecoplage® process over different existing systems?
The hard defense work like dikes or walls protect the lands from marine flooding. However, they block the natural exchange between beach and dune. They also change the balance of the coast. They often worsen the erosion of the sites on which they are located and on adjacent sites. At the foot of these structures, the top of beach tends to erode more quickly under the effect of the reflexion of the waves which increases turbulence in the surf zone. The Ecoplage® method maintains a coastal landscape similar to the natural site. It does not act significantly on transit coastline. It has no negative impact on the environment. It is directly involved in the protection of ecosystems.
How does the process also play naturally the role of reinforcing the existing protections?
The installation of the Ecoplage® process in front of a seawall reduces the force of wave reflux by creating a sand reserve that acts as a buffer stock during storms. By deadening the effects of the swell, this additional sand stock constitutes a natural sand barrier protection which slows down the processes of erosion at the seawall.
How long is the installation process?
The company has a patented machine capable of burying the drain and filter as a solid unit in only one operation. The machine installs up to 300 metres of drain per hour.
As example, the occupation of the machines on the beach of Quend (linear system of 900m) for the drainage part lasted 4 days. The construction and installation of the pump station at the head of the beach took 2 months.
The total occupation is thus limited in time and space. The complete installation of the system can be operated in 3 months for a length of 1000 m, with a great majority of that time having minimal impact on beach usage.
Can resources from seawater filtered by the process be valued?
The Ecoplage® method generates a large amount of filtered seawater. This filtered water resource may be taken advantage in various manners depending on the needs of local communities. It can be used to produce heat and cold in combination with a heat pump, to oxygenate lagoons and ponds of marinas, to supply swimming pools, to feed spas, fish or shellfish farms, or for membrane desalinization plants to produce potable water.
Despite all this information, a question remains ?
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