Coasts EQ4 Flashcards
Give 2 reasons why the economic losses of coastal erosion are small
erosion happens slowly
property at risk loses its value long before it is destroyed
Give 2 social, economic and environmental consequences of coastal erosion
social: negative equity for homeowners (homes worth less that what they paid for them), property prices fallen
economic: 1000m’s of good farmland lost each year, visitor number dropped
environmental: SSSIs threatened, lagoon has colony of over 1% of British population of little terns
What were the social and economic impacts of the North Sea Storm Surges?
1800 deaths
almost 10% of Dutch farmland flooded
What were the social and economic impacts of Typhoon Haiyan?
6000+ deaths
billions of $ in damage
How may climate change create environmental refugees in total areas?
e.g. Maldives
most of population work and live at the coast
coral reef that act asa natural defence are being destroyed by coral bleaching (climate change)
no space for relocation
What is hard engineering?
directly altering physical processes
What is soft engineering?
attempts to work with physical processes to protect and manage
Give 4 examples of hard engineering defences and describe them
- Groynes - run perpendicular to sea and build up beach by preventing longshore drift
- Rip- rap - boulders at sea wall to reduce wave energy
- Sea wall - physical barrier against erosion at cliff
- Revetments - interlocking concrete structures to absorb wave energy and reduce swash distance by encouraging infiltration
Give 3 examples of soft engineering defences and describe them
- Beach nourishment - artificial replenishment of beach sediment
- Cliff regrading - cliff slope angles to increase stability
- Dune stabilisation - fences used to reduce wind speed
Give 4 examples of sustainable coastal management
- managing flood and erosion risk
- managing natural resources (to ensure long term productivity)
- educating communities
- creating alternative livelihoods
Give 4 reasons why coastal management may lead to conflict
- coastal natural resources may have to be used less in order to protect them - so some may lose income
- relocation may be needed where engineering solutions are too costly or not technically feasible
- some erosion and/or flooding will always occur so schemes cannot always protect against
- future trends may change creating uncertainty
What is ICZM?
coastal management planing over the long term , involving all stakeholders working with natural processes
What concept does ICZM work with?
littoral cells or sediment cells
How many sediment cells are there in england and wales?
11
What government department oversees coastal management?
DEFRA
List and describe 4 coastal management policy options
No active intervention
Hold the line - build or maintain coastal defences so shoreline remains
Strategic realignment - allow coast to move naturally but manage process to direct it in certain areas
Advance the line - build new coastal defences on seaward side of the existing coastline
What 5 ways are coastal management decisions made?
cost benefit analysis environmental impact assessments feasibility study risk assessment shoreline management plan
Describe what is happening at Hornsea
holiday resort
losing its beaches
groynes
Describe what is happening at Withernsea
another holiday resort
groynes and sea wall
Describe what is happening at Mappleton
cliff erosion
groynes and cliff regrading
impacts further down
protects important gas terminals at Easington
Describe what is happening at Spurn Head
retreat
officially abandoned
heritage site
What engineering approach is Happiburgh (north norfolk) taking?
managed retreat
much to the dismay of locals
What project is Chittagong, Bangladesh doing?
- improving road connections
- raising embankments
- creating new markets
- training in climate resilience
- cyclone shelters
