Coasts - Management

Question 1

Why is it important to manage the coast?

Answer 1

So we can maintain a balance between natural processes and the demands of people.

Question 2

What is hard engineering?

Answer 2

Using artificial structures to control natural processes.

Question 3

What are groynes?

Answer 3

Rock or timber structures built out to sea from the coast, trapping sediment by interrupting longshore drift.

Question 4

Evaluate groynes as a coastal management strategy.

Answer 4

Create a wider beach and not too expensive. Can increase rates of erosion elsewhere and are unattractive.

Question 5

What is a sea wall?

Answer 5

A concrete or rock barrier placed at the foot of a cliff or at the top of a beach. May be curved to help reflect waves back into the sea.

Question 6

Evaluate sea walls as a coastal management strategy.

Answer 6

Effective at protecting the coast from waves and often have a promenade for people to walk long. Expensive and look obtrusive.

Question 7

What is rock armour?

Answer 7

Large piles of boulders dumped at the foot of cliffs, which force waves to break, absorbing their energy and protecting cliffs.

Question 8

Evaluate rock armour as a coastal management strategy.

Answer 8

Fairly cheap & easy to maintain and can benefit people fishing. Rocks expensive to transport and often don’t fit in with local geology so look obtrusive.

Question 9

What are gabions?

Answer 9

Wire cages filled with rocks, used to support cliffs or provide a buffer against the sea.

Question 10

Evaluate gabions as a coastal management strategy.

Answer 10

Cheap, can improve cliff drainage and eventually become vegetated and merge into the landscape. Initially look unattractive, require maintenance.

Question 11

What is soft engineering?

Answer 11

Working with natural processes to manage the coast.

Question 12

What is beach nourishment?

Answer 12

Adding sand or shingle to an existing beach to make it higher or wider.

Question 13

Evaluate beach nourishment as a coastal management strategy.

Answer 13

Blends in with existing beach material as it is usually taken from offshore, cheap, easy to maintain, increases tourist potential. Requires constant maintenance.

Question 14

What is dune regeneration?

Answer 14

Planting marram grass on dunes to help them stabilise and develop.

Question 15

Evaluate dune regeneration as a coastal management strategy.

Answer 15

Maintains a natural coastal environment, supports wildlife, fairly cheap. Dunes can be destroyed by stormy weather, planting marram grass can be time-consuming.

Question 16

What is dune fencing?

Answer 16

Constructing fences on sandy beaches along the sea-facing side of existing dunes. This encourages the development of new dunes, which can protect the existing dunes.

Question 17

Evaluate dune fencing as a coastal management strategy.

Answer 17

Has minimal impact on natural processes. Require regular maintenance, can become unsightly if fences become damaged or destroyed.

Question 18

What is managed retreat?

Answer 18

Deliberately allowing an area of land (often low-value land) to be flooded by the sea. If there are existing coastal defences, they will be removed.

Question 19

Why is managed retreat sometimes used to manage coastlines?

Answer 19

It may become too expensive to manage an area of land which keeps flooding. Marshland often forms in areas where managed retreat is used and this can support wildlife.

Question 20

What are the disadvantages of managed retreat?

Answer 20

Choosing which areas to flood can cause conflict. Flooding farmland can affect livelihoods. It can be costly to compensate landowners. Saltwater from the sea can be damaging to existing ecosystems.

Question 21

Where is the Holderness Coast?

Answer 21

In the North-East of England.

Question 22

Why does the Holderness Coast need to be managed?

Answer 22

It has one of the highest rates of coastal erosion in Europe. The cliffs are made of easily-eroded boulder clay. Approximately 1.8 metres of land is lost to the sea every year. The gas terminal at Easington supplies 25% of the UK’s gas and is right on the edge of a cliff. The B1242 is at risk. It is an important link between many towns and businesses.

Question 23

How is Mappleton managed?

Answer 23

In 1991, a £2 million plan was undertaken. Rock armour placed at the foot of the cliffs to absorb wave energy. Two rock groynes built to trap sand and create a beach.

Question 24

How is Hornsea managed?

Answer 24

A sea wall and some groynes.

Question 25

How is Withernsea managed?

Answer 25

A sea wall, groynes and rock armour.

Question 26

Has coastal management been successful along the Holderness Coast?

Answer 26

In some places.

Question 27

Where has it been successful?

Answer 27

In Mappleton; the village and B1242 road are protected.

Question 28

Why has it been unsuccessful?

Answer 28

There has been a loss of land around Great Cowden’s farms and caravan park. There has been a loss of habitat for wildlife at Spurn Head (as less material is being transported and deposited there). A 1km stretch of coastline near the gas terminal at Easington needed protection by rock armour – at a cost of £6.6 million.