Coastal management Flashcards
What is hard engineering
Strategies to protect the coastline using man made constructions
What are examples of hard engineering coastal management strategies
Gabions, sea walls, groynes and rock armour
What are gabions
They are wire cages full of rocks and boulders and they absorb some energy and pressure from the waves to prevent erosion, but the wire is corroded over time and looks unattractive
What are sea walls
Sea walls are made from durable material, such as concrete, and can de designed to reflect the waves power instead of absorbing it. However, they are quite expensive and look unattractive
What is rock armour
A pile of rock boulders that absorb the energy and power and look natural
What are groynes
Groynes are wood or stone fences that stick out 90 degrees to the coast and stop the process of long shore drift by trapping material. They create wide beaches, which are better to protect coastlines, and are cheap
What is soft engineering in coastal management
They reduce effects of flooding and erosion using natural processes
Examples of soft engineering
Managed retreat and beach recharge/ replenishment/ nourishment
What is managed retreat
Coastal defences are removed and the sea is allowed to flood into a given area. The flooded land will turn into marshland, reducing flooding and erosion on the land behind it. However, saltwater can have a negative effect on ecosystems
What is the new name for managed retreat and why
It is renamed strategic realignment because retreat seems as though the government is doing anything
What is beach recharge
Beach recharge is moving material from the upper sections of the beach to the more vulnerable areas of the beach. It slows down waves by widening the beach, therefore reducing flooding and erosion but removing sand and shingle can damage organisms and expensive as it must be repeated
Why is the Holderness coast vulnerable to erosion
The strong prevailing winds, causing more destructive waves, and the cliff is made from clay, which is easy to erode, and heavy rainfall can cause mass movement
