Coastal Management Case Studies Flashcards
Holderness Coast, Heysham/Morecambe and Sefton Coast
which of the 11 sediment cells is the Holderness Coast in>
2
outline the geology along the Holderness Coast
Flamborough head - chalk headland which is resistant but vertical crack/joints run through it making it vulnerable to weathering and erosional processes
most cliffs are made from boulder clay
what are the main inputs in sediment cell 2
sediment via longshore drift
mass movement of the cliffs
characteristics of cliffs on the holderness coast
weak and unconsolidated
what are the main factors that affect the holderness coast system
geology
wind power - NE winds with a long fetch from the north sea
wave energy
what land forms are associated with Flamborough head on the holderness coast
cliffs and wave cut platforms
caves stacks arches
how much has the coastline of the holderness coast retreated since Roman times
5km
what is the rate of erosion on the holderness coast
up to 10m a year
fastest eroding coastline in Europe
why are coastal defence along Spurn Head Spit no longer maintained?
groynes : they exacerbate long shore drift further down the coast, they are too expensive
since the Yorkshire Naturalist’s Trust bought it they have been unable to afford maintenance
Where is the Sefton Coast?
Merseyside, North of Liverpool
stretches 12 miles between Southport and Waterloo
outline the need for coastal management at Sefton
sea level rise makes the coastline more vulnerable to erosion
protects ports and tourism industry
protects local specials
what local species would be protected at Sefton?
natterjack toads and red squirrels
what soft engineering management strategies have been used at Sefton
afforestation - planting xmas trees on the sea ward edge of dunes
signage and warnings along the beach
why is afforestation used at sefton? how is it sustainable?
encourages dune regeneration and provides a greener area
what sorts of signage and warnings are used at sefton?
fencing off certain areas
boardwalks
directions to the beach for visitors to follow
banning off road vehicles
what makes the use of signage and warnings at sefton sustainable?
protects the environment from human intervention that could damage the dunes
minimal costs make it economically viable
rarely needs maintaining
why have local authorities adopted soft engineering strategies at sefton?
to seek a sustainable and manageable future for future generations
where is morcambe and heysham?
Lancashire, nw england
how much of the morcambe coastline is protected by sea defences?
8.5km
how much was spent on coastal defneces at morcambe between 1989 and 2007?
£28 million
what are the five hard engineering strategies used at the morcambe/heysham coastline?
10 breakwaters/rock groynes using locally sourced limestone rip rap traditional re curved sea wall 500 gabions concrete revetments
what are the main land uses at morcambe/heysham
Heysham nuclear power station Heysham port residential retail seaside tourise hotels/guest houses golf club
what evidence suggests the morcambe/heysham defence systems are sustainable to an extent
all limestone materials were sourced from quarries less than 10km away from the sites, reduces the carbon footprint
location of the breakwaters and groynes encourage beach formation and acts as a soft engineering strategy to reinforce the hard defences
what is Morcambe bay classified as?
a Site of Special Scientific interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
why does Morcambe being classed as a SAC help it be sustainable?
because it helps protect and promot the growth of biodiversity in the coastal environtment
