Coasts Eq4 Flashcards
What is happening in Happisburgh and what are the impacts
Sea defences have been broken, 35 houses lost due to erosion
Children in Happisburgh are warned that they won’t be able to live there forever, some homes shake when pieces of cliff fall, can be very worrying
What is happening in Fairbourne (near Borth)
Residents will be relocated by 2054, they will become the first climate change refugees
What is an ICZM
integrated coastal zone management
When everyone affected in involved in the decision making
What are sea walls, and how effective are they
Concrete and steel walls with deep piled foundations to act as a physical barrier against erosion and flood
Causes destruction of natural environment, can cause reduced beach volum
What are revetments and how effective are they
Permeable sloping structures made from stone, timber or interlocking concrete
It absorbs wave energy, reduces erosion, vegetation may grow
What are groynes and are they effective
Vertical fences made from stone or timber spaced along the beach
Prevents longshore drift, encourages deposition, however causes increased erosion down the line
E.g borth
What is rock armour and is it effective
Igneous or metamorphic rock boulders to break up and dissipate wave energy
Protects base of sea wall, causes reduced wave energy, may have vegetation
What is a tidal barrier
Physical barrier between ocean and rivers, protects from extreme weather events
E.g Thames
What is dune creation
Use of vegetation and fencing to form sand dunes which are a barrier to coastal towns, protects from flooding and erosion, however not practical in urban areas
What is marsh creation and is it effective
Planting vegetation and allows low lying coastal areas to be flooded by the sea to create a salt marsh
Slows down waves, however could be argued that it benefits nature more than people
E.g steart marshes
What is replenishment/nourishment
Artificial placement of sand
Reduces wave impact, however not long term
E.g Bacton
What happened in Bacton
£1.8 million metres cubed of sand pumped on to beach, cost £20 million
Expensive, not long term
What happened in Borth
Offshore reif, beach nourishment, groynes
Caused increased tourism - controversial, groynes cause increased erosion
What happened in Start marshes, Bridgewater
Created salt marshes, cost £21 million
Hard engineering in an eyesore, nature reserve, tourism
Compulsory purchase of farmland, mayor criticised that money was spent to protect birds not people
What is happening in Rossall, Blackpool
Sea wall, revetments, promenade
Cost £64 million, provided employment, protected 7500 homes
Very expensive, unattractive, not long term as Blackpool will be underwater anyway with 2 degree warming
