Construction
During the construction phase dredged material from the port of Harwich was deposited behind the old sea dike to create salt marshes. Furthermore the dredged material was used to build a new, higher sea dike inland from the old one. The salt marshes and the new sea dike form an integrated flood protection system. Afterwards, the old dikes were breached to allow water at high tide to inundate the land and to let mudflats and salt marshes evolve naturally.
