Physical landscapes in the UK - case studies & examples Flashcards
Example: What happened at Boscastle and what did it cause (worth of damage)?
Village of Boscastle in Cornwall devastated by flash flood → caused millions of pounds worth of damage
Example: When did the flash floods occur in Boscastle?
16th August 2004
Example: Why was Boscastle vulnerable to flash flooding (3 reasons)?
- Had no modern flood defences
- Village’s surrounded by step valleys sides + cleared of trees/vegetation → increases surface runoff, in heavy
rain = discharge increases quickly - Old bridge had low arch over very narrow river channel → made flood worse, trees & vehicles got trapped under
bridge forming a dam
Example: Give a fact about Boscastle’s local economy and how the flood affected it
- Village is popular tourist destination, 90% of local
economy relied on tourism - After 2004, number of tourists dropped = increasing demand for protection against future floods
Example: When was flood management scheme for Boscastle completed and what did include?
2008 - include both soft and hard engineering
Example: Name 6 changes that was in the flood management scheme for Boscastle
- Old bridge was replaced with new bridge with a higher arch
- River channel was deepened and widened
- A gauge was introduced to monitor water levels and improve flood prediction
- The river embankment was been strengthened
- A new flood wall was been built
- Dead trees and vegetation was removed to stop them from blocking the river channels during floods
- The car park was raised and left as an area that can flood, to cope with excess water
Example: Name 4 social issues of the scheme in Boscastle
- Residents’ lives were disrupted for years by rebuilding projects and construction of flood defences
- New defences = safer place to live
- However, will only protect against a 1 in 75 year flood → won’t protect flooding same size as in 2004 (defences needed for that flood would spoil character of village)
- Many residents don’t like new bridge → not keeping with character of village
Example: Name 2 environmental issues of the scheme in Boscastle
- Vegetation and river habitats in area are now continuously managed → biodiversity and river habitats
have been improved - New channel has been engineered to look natural and
function as normal river
Example: Name 2 economical issues of the scheme in Boscastle
- Homes and businesses are now less at risk of flooding → Less risk of expensive damage to property, loss of stocks and business and rising insurance costs
- Flood management scheme cost over £4 million - But scheme isn’t as good as it could be → some options were still considered too expensive
Example: Where does River Clyde flow through?
Scotland
Example: Where is River Clyde’s source located?
Southern Uplands region of Scotland
Example: Where does River Clyde flow?
River flows north-west through Motherwell and Glasgow
Example: Name the 6 features River Clyde has
- Estuary
Example: Where is the Holderness coast located?
North East England
Example: What is the erosion like in the Holderness coast?
Has one of the highest rates of coastal erosion in Europe
