Coasts case study- East Norfolk (unintentional coastal change)

Question 1

What are the characteristics of the East Norfolk coast?

Answer 1

• high energy environment
• frequent storms
• Earths and glacial boulder clay being eroded
• Macrotidal

Question 2

What is at Bacton that makes it so important for the coast there to be protected?

Answer 2

-Gas processing plant located near to the coast
-1/3 of the nation’s gas supply handled by the plant
(However a population of only 1200 live there)

Question 3

i) What is the management strategy at Happisburgh?

ii) Why is this the strategy?

Answer 3

i) No active intervention
ii) - Not worth the money due to the cost-benefit analysis
- Small population of only 1372
- minimal flood risk
- Properties not valuable enough

Question 4

i) What management strategy is being used at Bacton?

ii) What problem cause in the future?

Answer 4

i) A sea wall prevents erosion, but the unprotected areas are eroded
ii) An artificial headland will be created which will mimic the action of a groyne, increasing erosion South of Bacton

Question 5

Why is Sea Palling worth protecting?

Answer 5

• If the sand dunes at Sea Palling are breached then up to 6000 ha of Norfolk would be opened up to flooding
• Provides protection for the Norfolk broads which are important both for the environment and economy

Question 6

What have the unintended consequences of management at Sea Palling been?

Answer 6

• Beaches further down the coastline have been starved of sediment due to the implementation of groynes which disrupt LSD
• Tombolos have been built up on the beach along Sea Palling
• Towns south of Sea Palling now require beach nourishment

Question 7

What management strategies are being used at Sea Palling?

Answer 7

• Artifical rock reefs which refract wave energy, build up sediment, and prevent sediment from moving further
• Heavy rock armour which absorbs wave energy
• Recurved sea wall absorbs and refracts wave energy
• Flood gate
• Steep embankment behind the beach

Question 8

How much money is tourism along the Norfolk Broads worth?

Answer 8

£100 million

Question 9

What would the consequences of coastal flooding be on the natural environment be?

Answer 9

Freshwater habitats would be contaminated with salt water

Question 10

What is the population of Sea Palling?

Answer 10

600

Question 11

What are the inputs and outputs of sediment like at Bacton?

Answer 11

• Sediment inputted from the North from cliff erosion

- Some sediment outputted southwards as the sea wall restricts movement

Question 12

What are the inputs and outputs of sediment like at Happisburgh?

Answer 12

• There is significant cliff erosion at Happisburgh therefore a large amount of sediment is inputted into the system
• Sediment travels south by LSD unrestricted as there is limited management in the area

Question 13

What are the inputs and outputs of sediment like at Sea Palling?

Answer 13

• Limited input as groynes at Eccles (located North of Sea Palling) trap sediment
• Limited output due to the offshore reefs/breakwater barriers trapping sediment

Question 14

What are the inputs and outputs of sediment like at Winterton?

Answer 14

• Limited input of sediment from North due to measures at Sea Palling, however there are high levels of erosion which provide significant input from sediment from the retreating coastline
• Sediment travels South unimpeded

Question 15

Are there any defences at Happisburgh?

Answer 15

There are some groynes which were built a few decades ago and are no longer particularly effective