Holderness coast case study

Question 1

What is Holderness coast?

Answer 1

The Holderness coast is a well-known stretch of coastline in eastern England. Holderness looses 2m per year.

Flamborough Head in the north, a chalk promontary, which has many coastal landforms.

Bridlington head to spurn head, an extensive zone of erosion and sediment transfer.

Spurn head (a spit)

Question 2

What is Holderness coast made of?

Answer 2

Alluvium (a sedimentary rock)

Boulder clay

Chalk (weak rocks)

Question 3

Factors affecting coastal erosion

Answer 3

Prevailing winds blowing from the north-east can drive powerful waves towards the Holderness coast.

Occasionally areas, of extremely low pressure move down the North sea, funnelling water and creating storm surges.

The weak geology causes increased rates of erosion

Destructive waves with strong backwash and weak swash cause erosion

Waves refraction also causes increased erosion to headlands and spits.

Question 4

How do they mitigate these?

Answer 4

Parts of the coastline have been protected by hard engineering strategies such as Rock armour, sea walls and groynes.

These have protected areas such as Hornsea and Mapleton, they have deprived areas further south of sediment.