3.1.3.4 Coastal Management Flashcards
Hard Engineering (4 examples)
Hard engineering involves man made structures that aim to prevent erosion . They are often very effective at preventing erosion in the desired area, but by reducing erosion in one area of the coastline, they may act to exacerbate erosion elsewhere.
Four examples are:
- Groynes
- Sea walls
- Rip Rap (rock armour)
- Revetments
Groynes (2 pros, 2 cons)
Timber or rock protrusions that trap sediment from LSD.
Pros:
- Builds up beach, protecting cliff and increasing tourist potential
- Cost effective
Cons:
- Visually unappealing
- Deprives areas downwind of sediment increasing erosion elsewhere
Sea Walls (2 pros, 3 cons)
Concrete structures that absorb and reflect wave energy, with curved surface.
Pros:
- Effective erosion prevention
- Promenade has tourism benefits
Cons:
- Visually unappealing
- Expensive to construct and maintain
- Wave energy reflected elsewhere, with impacts on erosion rates
Rip Rap (rock armour) (1 pro, 2 cons)
Large rocks that reduce wave energy, but allow water to flow through.
Pros:
- Cost effective
Cons:
- Rocks are sourced from elsewhere, so do not fit with local geology
- Pose a hazard if climbed upon
Revetments (1 pro, 2 cons)
Wooden or concrete ramps that help absorb wave energy.
Pros:
- Cost effective
Cons:
- Visually unappealing
- Can need constant maintenance, which creates an additional cost
Soft Engineering (4 examples)
Soft engineering aims to work with and complement the physical environment by using natural methods of coastal defence.
Four examples are:
- Beach nourishment
- Cliff regrading and drainage
- Dune stabilisation
- Marsh creation
Beach Nourishment (2 pros, 2 cons)
Sediment is taken from offshore sources to build up the existing beach.
Pros:
- Builds up beach, protecting cliff and increasing tourist potential
- Cost effective and looks natural
Cons:
- Builds up beach, protecting cliff and increasing tourist potential
- Cost effective and looks natural
Cliff Regrading and Drainage (1 pro, 2 cons)
Reduces the angle of the cliff to help stabilise it. A steeper cliff would be
more likely to collapse.
Pros:
- Cost effective
Cons:
- Cliff may collapse suddenly as the cliff is drier leading to rock falls which
pose a hazard - May look unnatural
Dune Stabilisation (1 pro, 1 con)
Marram grass planted. The roots help bind the dunes, protecting land behind.
Pros:
- Cost effective and creates an important wildlife habitat
Cons:
- Planting is time consuming
Marsh Creation (1 pro, 1 con)
Type of managed retreat allowing low-lying areas to flood.
Pros:
- Creates an important wildlife habitat
Cons:
- Farmers lose land and may need compensation as a result
Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA)
An analysis carried out before any form of coastal management takes place.
Usually the benefits have to outweigh the costs for the project to take place.
Sustainable Coastal Management
Sustainable integrated approaches are becoming more widely used. They are holistic strategies and smaller sections are not considered separately, unlike with traditional methods.
Aspects of sustainable coastal management
- Managing natural resources to ensure long term productivity
- Creating new jobs for people who face unemployment due to management schemes
- Educating communities about the need to adapt and how to protect the coastline
- Monitoring coastal changes and responding appropriately
- Ensure that everybody is considered when changes are proposed
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
Large sections of coastline are managed with one integrated strategy.
- The ICZM recognises that coastal management must be sustainable whereby environmental protection is prioritised over economic development
- The ICZM must involve all stakeholders and plan for the long term
- It recognises a decision to protect one coastal community may not outweigh the disadvantages of exposing another community to increased erosion
- In 2013 the EU adopted a new initiative which promotes the use of ICZM’s
Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs)
There is an SMP for each of the 11 UK sediment cell.
Each SMP identifies all of the activities, both natural and human which occur within the coastline area of each sediment cell.
Different factors are considered when choosing a management options: The economic value of assets that could be protected, the technical feasibility of engineering solutions and the ecological and cultural value of land.
