Coasts Local Case Study- Vetnor, Isle Of Wight Flashcards
What erosion is occurring in Ventnor?
-Erosion is a major problem Ventnor faces, based on Isle of Wight Shoreline Management plan, Ventnor Bay has been eroding 0.4m per year in the past and in 100 years will have increased to 0.77m per year.
What is being put in place to reduce erosion in Ventnor?
-A wide variety of coastal protection hard engineering structures have been implemented
-Seawalls prevent the retreat of cliff bases
-Rock armour prevents the upper part of the shore platform
-Groynes of various orientations and lengths have been used to encourage the growth of protective beaches.
Evaluation of the coastal management strategies in place in Ventnor
Overall, there are many effective strategies used in Ventnor, and the government is aware of and is able to identify the coastal problems, which will further increase with climate change and sea level rise. However, some defenses are in a terrible condition, and there is a need for them to be replaced or repaired. At the same time, they are facing a huge possibility of having a massive landslide caused by erosion on the base of the cliff. Because the undercliff has such an important economical role to the town, the government isn’t able to take much action, that might degrade the beautiful view of the region, which could reduce tourism which plays a major role to the economy of Ventnor.
Why is Ventnor at risk of a landslide?
-The area is at risk of a significant landslide reactivation over the next 100 years due to coastal erosion and water in the ground.
-The under cliff is a belt of fallen land, 12km long which was formed by a result from both aggressive coastal erosion and unusual geological conditions following a rise in sea level after the last Ice age between 8000-4000 years ago.
What SMP strategy is in place at Vetnor?
-A ‘hold the line’ policy was set out in the 2010 shoreline management place, with plans to intervene against coastal erosion with hard and soft engineering to prevent any further shoreline retreat.
What are the impacts of climate change for Ventnor?
-Sea levels, wave heights and the frequency of winter storms are anticipated to increase because of climate change.
-For the Ventnor undercliff, this increases the risk of landslides and potential collapse due to increased wave heights, stronger destructive waves and increased erosive power.
How will the Ventnor coastal development scheme be sustainable?
-The environment agency’s target for the Isle of Wight priority schemes is to achieve a 20% biodiversity net gain
Mass Movement at Ventnor
-Urbanised so there is mass movement due to impermeable surfaces
-rotational slip at Ventnor is 11km long
-occurs due to a positive feedback loop due to being a high energy coastline
-largest area of mass movement in Europe
-£10m property at risk of being lost
-management techniques of cliff stabilisation and cliff drainage to treat rotational slip
