Holderness Coastal Erosion

Question 1

How long is the coastline?

Answer 1

61 m

Question 2

What is the average rate of erosion on the Holderness coastline?

What is the highest rate of retreat?

Answer 2

1.8 m per year

At Great Cowden the average is 10m per year

Question 3

What are the main reasons for the rapid erosion?

Answer 3

1) easily eroded rock type

The cliffs are mostly made of Boulder clay which is easily eroded and likely to slump causing cliff collapse

2) Naturally narrow beaches

Beaches slow water down reducing their erosive power so narrow beaches gives less protection

3) people worsening the situation with groynes

Groynes have been built at Mappleton preventing material being moved further down the coast. This means beaches are narrower and more easily eroded in other places

4) Powerful waves

Holderness faces the prevailing wind direction which brings waves from the north east (all the way from the Arctic Ocean ) waves increase in power over this long distance so the coast is battered by highly erosive waves

Question 4

What environmental impact does the erosion have

Answer 4

Some SSSIs are at risk e.g. The lagoons near Easington are separated from the sea by a bar, if it were eroded it would connect the lagoons and they would be destroyed.

Question 5

Do impacts on people’s lives

Answer 5

Ok

Question 6

Where is the Holderness coastline?

Answer 6

East Yorkshire

Question 7

What are the impacts of coastal erosion on people’s lives?

Answer 7

1) homes near cliffs are at risk of collapsing into the sea e.g. In Shipsea
2) property prices have fallen sharply for houses on the coast that are affected by the erosion.
3) Accessibility is affected to some settlements because roads near the cliff tops are at risk of collapsing into the sea. E.g. Southfield lane between Shipsea and Ulrome has been closed
4) Businesses are at risk due to erosion so people will lose their jobs e.g. Seaside caravan park at Ulrome is losing an average of 10 pitches per year
5) the gas terminal at Easington is at risk (it’s only 25m from the cliff edge). This terminal accounts for 25% of the U.K. gas supply
6) 80,000 m squared of farmland is lost each year this has a huge affect of farmers livelihood