Holderness-Coastal management (Hard engineering)

Question 1

Management in Holderness?

Answer 1

• Bridlington protected by 4.7km of sea wall as well as timber groynes
• Hornsea village protected by concrete sea wall, timber groynes and rip rap
• Gabions protect Hornsea caravan park
• Mappleton – in 1991 two rock groynes and 500m long revetment were built/£2 million and were built to protect the village and the B1242 coast road
• Withernsea – groynes, sea wall have been built and rip rap placed in front of all when damaged in severe storms in 1992
• Easington gas terminal protected by a revetment
• Eastern end of Spurn Head protected by groynes and rip rap

Question 2

How much is protected by hard engineering?

Answer 2

-11.4km out of 61km currently protected by hard engineering

Question 3

Problems with hard engineering.

Answer 3

• Groynes trap the sediment but down the coast the erosion increases eg downdrift of Mappleton the cliffs in the South are eroding and Cowden farm may fall into the sea
• Sediment does not flow down to the Humber estuary due to the protection and tidal mudflats are decreasing so flooding may be more problematic
• Protection is encouraging bays to form/increase pressure on headlands/expensive to protect
• Many of these schemes are unsustainable

Question 4

Management in the future

Answer 4

• Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) for next 50 years recommends holding the line in some places eg (Bridlington, Withernsea, Mappleton and Easington Gas Terminal) where there are villages and industry
• Do nothing in more unpopulated stretches – unpopular with locals
• Coastal realignment of businesses eg Caravan parks move further inland – but should they be financially compensated?
• Sea wall proposed at Easington gas work – would cost £4.5 million but would eroded Easington more (where 700 people live) If longer sea wall to protect both would cost £7 million
Offshore reefs of tyres suggested – but would these harm the environment?