Garcia, Karen; Jordan, Christian; Melling, Gregor; Schendel, Alexander; Welzel, Mario; Schlurmann, Torsten (2025): Scour depth, sediment characteristics, and hydrodynamic conditions dataset at British offshore wind farms, 2005-2014 [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.984839
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Published: 2025-09-25 • DOI registered: 2025-10-24
Abstract:
This dataset provides calculated scour depth and associated site-specific environmental parameters from multiple British offshore wind farms (OWFs). Information from OWFs in both the Irish Sea and the North Sea is included in the dataset, and a range of hydrodynamic regimes and seabed conditions are covered. Scour depth was extracted from pre- and post-construction bathymetries, conducted between 2005 and 2014, and refers to the vertical seabed change around the OWES. This dataset collection contains processed data on scour depth, sediment properties, and hydrodynamic conditions at multiple offshore wind energy structures (OWES) across nine British offshore wind farms (OWFs). Scour depth values were derived from the difference between pre- and post-construction multibeam bathymetric datasets. Sediment grain size information was obtained from publicly available benthic reports from Marine Data Exchange (MDE). Hydrodynamic conditions were reconstructed using one-year hindcast time series data before the post-bathymetry date, and extreme conditions were represented by the 99th percentiles by the Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS).
Keyword(s):
Supplement to:
Garcia, Karen; Jordan, Christian; Melling, Gregor; Schendel, Alexander; Welzel, Mario; Schlurmann, Torsten (2025): Scour variability across offshore wind farms (OWFs): identifying site-specific scour drivers as a step towards assessing potential impacts on the marine environment. Wind Energy Science, 10(10), 2189-2216, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-2189-2025
Source:
BOWind (2009): Barrow Offshore Wind Farm benthos & sediment survey: Comparative analysis of pre & post-construction data (Report No. P40120/25 Rev. 01). Marine Data Exchange, https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-46/2006-2010-bowind-barrow-environmental-monitoring-survey/summary
Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies Limited (2005): Characterisation of subtidal benthic ecology and fish communities in relation to the proposed Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm development (Report Ref. J3027 (benthic and fish TR)v1.2). Marine Data Exchange
Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (2023): Atlantic- European North West Shelf- Ocean Physics Reanalysis [dataset]. https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00059
Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (2023): Atlantic- European North West Shelf- Wave Physics Reanalysis [dataset]. https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00060
Entec UK Limited (2007): Robin Rigg monitoring windfarm site benthic macroinvertebrate data report. Marine Data Exchange, https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-1856/2001-2011-entec-robin-rigg-benthic-grabs-for-macro-invertebrates-along-the-cable-route-and-main-site
Entec UK Limited (2010): Teesside Offshore Wind Farm FEPA monitoring: Benthic survey report 2010 (Doc Reg No. 22090-gr149). Marine Data Exchange, https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-2064/2010-entec-uk-ltd-teesside-offshore-wind-farm-fepa-monitoring-benthic-survey/summary
Melling, Gregor (2015): Hydrodynamic and geotechnical controls of scour around offshore monopiles [thesis]. Doctoral thesis, University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science
Precision Marine Survey Limited (2013): Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm: Benthic monitoring programme, annual report technical appendix – benthic survey results (Project Ref: P012-07-0053/EON/Ann1, Contract Ref: HG-1106). Marine Data Exchange, https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-699/2013-pmsl-humber-gateway-offshore-wind-farm-benthic-monitoring-programme/summary
RPS (2007): Benthic ecology: Gunfleet Sands 2 Offshore Wind Farm Development, Appendix F (Report No. Jer3713). Marine Data Exchange, https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-488/2007-rps-gunfleet-sands-2-offshore-wind-farm-benthic-ecology/summary
Sotheran, I S; Foster-Smith, R L; Hendrick, V J; Foster-Smith, D J (2005): Sabellaria spinulosa survey: Lynn, Lincs and Inner Dowsing Offshore Windfarms (Report No. L-ID/CREL/C/3000025). Envision Mapping Ltd, Marine Data Exchange, https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-731/2004-envision-mapping-inner-dowsing---lynn---lincs-sabellaria-spinulosa-benthic-survey
Project(s):
Funding:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), grant/award no. 03F0911G: DAM sustainMare - CoastalFutures, Leibniz University Hannover
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 52.691865 * Median Longitude: 0.483980 * South-bound Latitude: 51.575110 * West-bound Longitude: -3.743169 * North-bound Latitude: 54.771508 * East-bound Longitude: 1.998501
Date/Time Start: 2005-04-02T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2015-05-28T00:00:00
Minimum DEPTH, water: 1.48 m * Maximum DEPTH, water: 33.20 m
Event(s):
BA_A1 * Latitude: 53.991377 * Longitude: -3.269411 * Date/Time Start: 2005-04-02T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2006-11-03T00:00:00 * Method/Device: Multiple investigations (MULT)
Comment:
Data Collection: This dataset was derived from publicly available multibeam bathymetric surveys collected before and after the construction of OWFs at multiple OWEs nine British OWFs. Bathymetric data were obtained via the Marine Data Exchange (MDE) platform and originated from MBES surveys conducted between 2005 and 2014. Sediment grain size data were retrieved from OWF-specific benthic survey reports and converted from phi units to D50 (µm). Hydrodynamic data—including current velocity and significant wave height were obtained from one-year hindcast datasets from the Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS), covering the 12 months prior to each post-construction bathymetry date.
Data Processing: Bathymetric datasets were reprojected to Ordnance Datum Newlyn (ODN) and clipped into 100x100 m tiles centered at each turbine. Tiles with more than 50% empty cells were excluded to ensure quality. When multiple bathymetry files were available for the same date, the highest resolution dataset (0.2–0.5 m) was selected. Scour depths were calculated by subtracting pre-construction from post-construction bathymetry. The maximum depth difference within each turbine tile was extracted as the scour depth. Hydrodynamic parameters (e.g., wave height, velocity magnitude, flow intensity, Froude and Reynolds numbers, Keulegan–Carpenter number, and sediment mobility parameter) were calculated based on site-specific conditions and published equations (Garcia et al., 2025). All hydrodynamic variables represent the 99th percentile conditions over the one-year period prior to each turbine's post-construction bathymetry.
Usage Notes: This dataset is suitable for offshore engineering and assessments of OWF-related sediment transport. It supports comparative studies of scour under different environmental and hydrodynamic regimes. All parameters were calculated consistently across wind farms to facilitate cross-site analysis. For further interpretation and methodology, users should consult the related publication in Wind Energy Science.
Parameter(s):
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0)
Status:
Curation Level: Enhanced curation (CurationLevelC)
Size:
15691 data points
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