Holderness (Coasts) Flashcards

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1
Q

Where is the Holderness coast located, where does it stretch from and to

A

It is located along the coast of East Yorkshire. It stretches from Flamborough Head to Spurn Head (along the River Humber estuary)

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2
Q

How long is the Holderness coast

A

61 km

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3
Q

How much of the Holderness coast has been lost in the past 2000 years and how many villages were lost with this land

A

4 km has been lost alongside 30 villages

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4
Q

What is the current rate of erosion reaching in some areas of Holderness

A

the erosion rate reaches up to 10 metres per year in places such as Great Cowden

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5
Q

Why is erosion predicted to increase along the Holderness coast

A

Climate change is leading to sea level rise and the UK is predicted to face more frequent storm event. These will both hasten erosion

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6
Q

What rock makes up the Holderness coast, how does this impact erosion

A

The coast is predominantly made of (soft) boulder clay. This is prone to slumping which makes the land less stable and therefore more vulnerable to erosion

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7
Q

What are the main factors contributing to the high erosion rate in Holderness

A
  • Long wave fetch across the North Sea
  • Geology (Soft boulder clay)
  • Narrow beaches (provides little protection)
  • Terminal Groyne Syndrome
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8
Q

What is the prevailing wind direction of Holderness

A

Northerly (pushes sediment south toward the Humber estuary)

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9
Q

Where and why does deposition occur in Holderness

A

Deposition happens in around the Humber Estuary; when river flow and waves meet, the energy needed to carry the sediment is lost

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10
Q

What issues will be caused by erosion in Holderness (4)

A
  • Loss of settlements (such as Skipsea)
  • Loss of productive farmland
  • Loss of infrastructure (such as Easington Gas Terminal)
    *Loss of SSSIs and SPAs (such as Hornsea Mere)
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11
Q

How much of the Holderness coastline is protected by traditional hard engineering strategies

A

11.4 km out of 61 km

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12
Q

Which hard engineering defences are in place in Hornsea?

A
  • Rock Armour (Rip Rap)
  • Concrete sea wall
  • Timber groynes
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13
Q

Which hard engineering defences are in place in Bridlington?

A
  • 4.7 km long sea wall
  • Timber groynes
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14
Q

Which hard engineering defences are in place in Mapleton and what are they defending?

A
  • 2 rock groynes
  • 500 metres of revetments

They protect the village as well as a B road

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15
Q

Which hard engineering defences is in place in Easington and what is it defending?

A

Revetments are in place to defend the Gas Terminal which is now only 25 metres from the cliff edge

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16
Q

Which hard engineering defences are in place on Spurn Head?

A
  • Groynes
  • Rock armour

These are along the Eastern side of the headland

17
Q

Which hard engineering defences are in place in Withernsea?

A
  • Groynes
  • Sea wall
  • Rock armour (in front of the wall after it was damaged by a storm)
18
Q

Why are the traditional hard engineering strategies in Holderness not sustainable? (3)

A
  • Terminal Groyne Syndrome is starving areas like Cowden Farm of sediment
  • Reduced erosion in Holderness has resulted in less sediment input to the Lincolnshire coast - starving it of sediment of increasing erosion there
  • Bays have begun to form in between hard engineering structures which heightens erosion on the headlands due to wave refraction - the cost of protecting these headlands may become too high
19
Q

What are the current SMP strategies in place

A

‘hold the line’ is in place for some of the more populated settlements such as Easington and Hornsea.

‘do nothing’ is in place for less populated areas as well as for Spurn Head which allows the spit there to act as it usually would.

20
Q

What challenges face the current SMP scheme (4)

A
  • The ‘do nothing’ approach is unpopular with stakeholders of the affected land
  • The defences as Easington only span 1 km in front of the gas terminal which leaves the rest of the village unprotected - erosion at SSSIs downdrift may also be increased by the defences
  • There’s contention around compensation for relocation
  • doing nothing at Spurn head may allow overwashing to damage to salt marsh