Coastal management Flashcards
Hard engineering
Man made structures that aim to prevent erosion
Successful at preventing erosion in the desired area, may exacerbate erosion elsewhere
Soft engineering
Aims to work with and complement the physical environment
Groynes
Timber/rock protrusions that trap sediment from LSD
Built at right angles to the beach
3 strengths and 2 limitations of GROYNES
+ Builds up the beach, protecting the cliff, increasing tourist potential
+ Cost effective
+ Works with natural processes
- Visually unappealing
- Deprives areas downwind of sediment increasing erosion elsewhere
Sea walls
Concrete structures that absorb and reflect wave energy, with a curved surface
2 strengths and 3 limitations of SEA WALLS
+ Effective at erosion prevention
+ Promenade has tourism benefits
- Visually unappealing
- Expensive to construct and maintain
- Wave energy reflected elsewhere
Rip Rap (rock armour)
Large rocks that reduce wave energy, but allow water to flow through
3 strengths and 3 limitations of RIP RAP
+ Cost effective
+ Easy to maintain
+ Can be used for recreation (fishing, sunbathing)
- Rocks sourced from elsewhere so don’t match the geology
- Hazard if they are climbed on
- Can be intrusive
Revetments
Wooden/concrete ramps that help absorb wave energy
1 strength and 3 limitations of REVETMENTS
+ Cost effective
- Visually unappealing
- Intrusive and looks unnatural
- Need high levels of maintenance
Beach nourishment
Sediment is taken from offshore sources to build up the existing beach
3 strengths and 2 limitations of BEACH NOURISHMENT
+ Builds up the beach, protects the cliff, increases tourist potential
+ Coat effective
+ Looks natural
- Needs constant maintenance
- Sediment needs to be taken from elsewhere
Cliff regrading and drainage
Reduces the angle of the cliff to help stabilise it
1 strength and 2 limitations of CLIFF REGRADING AND DRAINAGE
+ Cost effective
- Drained cliffs can dry out and therefore more likely to collapse
- Regrading effectively causes the cliff to retreat
Dune stabilisation
Marram grass planted to stabilise sand dunes
3 strengths and 2 limitations of DUNE STABALISATION
+ Cost effective
+ Creates habitats for wildlife
+ Maintains natural environment
- Planting is time consuming
- Newly planted areas may be damaged by pedestrians
Marsh creation
Type of managed retreat allowing low-lying areas to flood
2 strengths and 2 limitations of MARSH CREATION
+ Creates wildlife habitats
+ Relatively cheap
- Agricultural land is lost
- Farmers need to be compensated
Cost-benefit analysis
Analysis carried out before any form of coastal management takes places
Expected benefits have to outweigh the costs before the project goes ahead
Sustainable coastal management
Sustainable integrated approaches becoming more widely used
Holistic strategies
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
Large sections of coastline are managed with one integrated strategy
ICZM recognises CM must be sustainable, environmental protection is prioritised over economic development
ICZM must involve stakeholders
Shoreline Management Plans (SMP’s)
Each sediment cell has a SMP
Identifies all activities (human and physical) that occur within that coastline
Conflict over policy decisions
Winners and losers
Some people will benefit, some will not
Impacts of coastal management on sediment cells
Types of coastal management can have impacts on other areas of the coastline
