4.1.1 coastal managment

Question 1

what does vulnerability mean?

Answer 1

the measure of someone’s inability to cope with, or recover from, a disaster such as coastal flooding.

Question 2

what is capacity?

Answer 2

the opposite of vulnerability. it describes someone’s ability to survive a hazard or recover from it quickly.

Question 3

name factors deciding the level of risk.

Answer 3

• the magnitude of an event
• the number of people who may be affected
• the vulnerability of the people affected by the event

Question 4

name methods to increase capacity.

Answer 4

• reduce the impact of the hazard, eg. build flood walls, coastal defences
• build capacity to cope with the hazards, eg. educate people what to do in a storm surge
• tackle the root cause of vulnerability, eg. governments need to reduce poverty and inequality in society

Question 5

state the groups of people that may be vulnerable on the coast.

Answer 5

1 - people that live in areas without coastal defences. at greater risk. capacity could be increased by reducing the impact of hazards, eg. building flood walls.
2 - people with disabilities. vulnerable. capacity could be increased by improving living conditions or with a carer.
3 - less educated people. difficult to understand. capacity increased by informing people.
4 - the elderly. may struggle to move to safety quickly. capacity increased by providing additional support.
5 - young children. unaware of potential danger. capacity improved by not leaving them unsupervised in dangerous places.
6 - pregnant women. vulnerable and unable to move quickly. capacity increased by moving them to safer housing and given additional support.
7 - low income areas. vulnerable as they cannot cope or recover from financial damage. capacity increased by providing financial support.

Question 6

name the factors of climate change that will effect coastal communities in the uk?

Answer 6

• increased coastal erosion
• land subsidence
• drainage problems
• higher river discharge
• greater storms and rainfall

Question 7

what is postglacial rebound?

Answer 7

the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last ice age.

Question 8

what does ‘holding the line’ mean?

Answer 8

choosing to protect an area from rising sea levels and coastal flooding.

Question 9

state the methods of sea level rise prevention.

Answer 9

• drainage board: make sure places have special drainage systems to manage water levels.
• county councils: flood risk maps from the sea to all main rivers to ensure people are educated on sea level rise. putting up sea defences if needed.
• community: educated to adapt to their homes to improve it’s resistance and resilience to flooding. obtain adequate insurance where available.

Question 10

what is an lecz?

Answer 10

low elevation coastal zone.

Question 11

where is climate change a threat to?

Answer 11

• increased the risk of coastal flooding at high tide
• heavier rainfall increased the risk of flash flood in urban areas with poor drainage
• more violent storms and hurricanes will increase the risk of coastal erosion and storm surges

Question 12

what places have millions living on river deltas?

Answer 12

• bangladesh
• egypt
• nigeria
• vietnam
• cambodia

Question 13

what are sids?

Answer 13

small island developing states

Question 14

where are the poorest neighbourhoods found in developing countries?

Answer 14

• low-lying

- built along waterways or seafronts vulnerable to flooding

Question 15

give two examples of sids.

Answer 15

• maldives in the indian ocean

- the marshall islands in the pacific ocean

Question 16

what is a river delta?

Answer 16

A delta is an area of low, flat land shaped like a triangle, where a river splits and spreads out into several branches before entering the sea.

Question 17

state the factors that might make it difficult for sids to cope with climate change than a larger country like india.

Answer 17

• population
• migration to safety
• location
• coastal defences
• warning systems
• money
• government

Question 18

what is a storm surge?

Answer 18

a storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide. it’s the change in the water level that is due to the presence of the storm.

Question 19

what is a fragile environment?

Answer 19

an environment that can be easily damaged by nature or humans.

Question 20

what is an archipelago?

Answer 20

a sea or area of water where there are several islands or group of islands.

Question 21

what is coral bleaching?

Answer 21

when waters are too warm corals expel the algae in their tissue which leaves the coral white.

Question 22

what are environmental refugees?

Answer 22

someone forced to leave their home region due to changes in the local environment, which include flooding, drought and sea level rise.

Question 23

what is sustainable development?

Answer 23

understanding how to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs.

• conserves resources
• uses local materials
• involves local people
• uses appropriate technology

Question 24

what is the uk at risk of in terms of coastal hazards?

Answer 24

• erosion, landslides and rock falls
• storm surges during extreme weather events
• flooding due to sea level change

Question 25

describe the process of a storm surge?

Answer 25

a rise in sea levels as low pressure in the atmosphere and high winds push the sea up and towards the coastline. when the air pressure falls 1 millibar, sea levels rise 1 centimetre. strong winds create large waves pushed up in front of an advancing area of low pressure creating even higher water levels. if a storm approaches the coast at high tide the risk of flooding is increased.

Question 26

what part of the coast in the uk suffers from large storm surges?

Answer 26

north-east england

Question 27

what is rock armour?

Answer 27

large boulders places at the front of a cliff.

Question 28

state advantages for rock armour.

Answer 28

• cheaper than a sea wall and easy to maintain

- can be used for fishing

Question 29

state disadvantages for rock armour.

Answer 29

• they look different to the local geology

- the rocks are expensive to transport

Question 30

what are gabions?

Answer 30

rocks held in place by mesh cages.

Question 31

state advantages for gabions.

Answer 31

• cheap

- absorbs wave energy

Question 32

state disadvantages for gabions.

Answer 32

• not very strong

- looks unnatural

Question 33

what are groynes?

Answer 33

wooden or rock structures built out at right angles into the sea.

Question 34

state advantages for groynes.

Answer 34

• builds a beach (encourages tourism)

- trap sediment being carried out by longshore drift

Question 35

state disadvantages for groynes.

Answer 35

• trapping sediment means it starves beaches further down the coastline
• look unattractive

Question 36

state two soft engineering options for coastal erosion.

Answer 36

• beach nourishment: replaces beach or cliff material. a natural defence attractive to tourists. requires constant maintenance
• managed retreat: allowed to erode and flood naturally. encourages development of beaches. people need to be compensated for land loss.

Question 37

describe why coastal defences have been chosen for happisburgh.

Answer 37

• rock type as cliffs are made of less resistant boulder clay
• naturally narrow beaches so there is less protection to the coast
• man-made structures to stop longshore drift and build up beaches
• powerful waves travel long distances so they have more energy

Question 38

how is managed realignment sustainable?

Answer 38

• social benefits: act as a buffer so local communities don’t flood.
• economic benefits: tourists visit and animals graze there.
• environmental benefits: natural habitat for wildlife.

Question 39

what is a hazard map?

Answer 39

a map that highlights areas that are affected by, or vulnerable to a particular hazard. they alert the public to areas at danger of coastal flooding and give authorities information for long-term planning.

Question 40

what is a mitigation strategy?

Answer 40

something that will deal with the cause of a problem.

Question 41

what is an adaptation strategy?

Answer 41

a response to the impacts of climate change to try and make the population less vulnerable.