Coastal Enviroment - Holderness Flashcards
What are most of the cliffs made up of and what is the coast exposed to.
Most of the cliffs are made of boulder clay and the coast is exposed to powerful destructive waves from the North Sea during storms.
What affect has erosion had on the coastline?
The soft boulder clay is easily eroded by wave action. In some places e.g. Great Cowden, the rate of erosion has been over 10 m/year in recent years.
What affect has mass movement had on the coastline?
The boulder clay is also prone to slumping when its wet. Water makes the clay heavier and acts as a lubricant between particles, which makes it unstable.
What affect has transportation had on the coastline?
Prevailing winds form the northeast transport material southwards. These winds also create an ocean current, which transports material south by longshore drift. Rapid erosion means there is always plenty of sediment to be transported.
What affect has deposition had on the coastline?
Where the ocean current meets the outflow of the Humber River, the flow becomes turbulent and sediment is deposited.
Why are there headlands and wave cut platforms north of the Holderness Coast?
The boulder clay overlies the chalk. The chalk is harder and less easily eroded, so it has formed a headland (Flamborough Head) and wave cut platforms such as those near Sewerby.
Why have beaches formed south of Flamborough Head?
The area south of Flamborough Head is sheltered from the wind and waves, and a wide sand and pebble beach has formed near Bridlington.
How has Spurn Head Spit formed?
Erosion and longshore drift have created a spit with a recurved end across the mouth of the Humber Estuary. To the landward side of the spit, mudflats and saltmarshes have formed.
How many km has the coastline retreated over the past 2000 years?
4km.
Which village is at risk of coastal erosion?
Skipsea is at risk 80,000 m squared of good quality farmland is lost each year on the Holderness coast, which has a huge effect on farmers livelihoods.
What infrastructure is at risk of being lost?
The gas terminal at Easington is only 25m from the cliff edge.
What Sites of Special Scientific Interest is at risk of being lost?
The lagoons near Easington provide habitats for birds.
What have Bridlington used to protect itself from coastal erosion?
Bridlington is protected by a 4.7 km long sea wall as well as timber groynes.
What have Hornsea used to protect itself from coastal erosion?
There a concrete sea wall, timber groynes and rip rap at Hornsea that protect the village.
What have Mappleton used to protect itself from coastal erosion?
Tow rock groynes and a 500m long revetment were built at Mappleton in 1991. They cost 2 millions and were built to protect the village and the B1242 coastal road.
