Holderness Coast Flashcards
Location
East Yorkshire coast
Sediment cell - Flamborough Head - Spurn Head (spit)
Why does the coastline need protecting
Fastest eroding coastline in Europe (7-10m in bad years)
Holocene (melting from ice age) fluvial deposits are very weak - 4km retreat in coastline since Roman times
Hard engineering - Bridlington
3.6km high masonry and concrete seawalls with groynes to stabilise the beaches
Hornsea
1.86km of concrete, groynes (£5.2mil cheap) and rock armour
Recently increased hight of sea wall and added wave-return profiles (recurved walls)
Mappleton
1991 - looked set to be claimed by erosion
450m and 60k tonnes of rock armour added
Withernsea
Seawalls, groynes, rock armour (reduced access to beach), offshore rock armour
Holds the line
Easington
Major North Sea gas terminals threatened by erosion - 1km long revetment built at base of cliff - 133k tonnes of rock
Physical factors
Weather - winter storms produce stronger waves and higher sea levels + ↑ weathering
Waves - prevailing from northeast, destructive waves, form spit as sediment is transported south
Geology - chalk (harder) and boulder clay (softer)
Sustainability
Groynes at Mappleton trap the sand, reducing the amount there is further south - cliffs at Great Cowden eroding at faster rate - 10m/year
Protection of select areas has led to formation of bays and headlands. Increased wave pressure on towns on headlands will drive up costs for sea defences
ICZM
Holistic and long-term, managing the coast as a single interconnected system.
- encourages collaboration between stakeholders
- focusses on sustainability, minimising conflicts between land use and conservation
- accounts for impacts of erosion and climate change
SMP
More specific for Holderness, framework for managing risks varies by location
Hold the line at populated areas - Bridlington, Hornsea, Withernsea
Do Nothing in less populated areas
Managed retreat to allow natural processes to occur while minimising damage to property
