soft engineering Flashcards
what is soft engineering?
managing erosion by working with natural processes to help restore beaches/ecosystem and resuce erosion.
what are the 3 soft engineering strategies?
beach nourishment, reprofiling and dune regeneration.
what is beach nourishment?
the addition of new material to a beach to make it wider.
what are some positives and negatives of beach nourishment?
positives
-relatively cheap.
-increases tourism.
negatives
-needs replenishing regularly.
-groynes useful to keep the material in place.
what is reprofiling?
the redistribution of sediment from the lower section of the beach to the high section (increases gradient).
what are some positives and negatives of reprofiling?
positives
-theyre cheap.
-reduces wave energy/erosion.
negative
-only works when wave energy is low.
-needs to be redone regularly.
what is dune regeneration?
the action taken to build up dunes and increase vegetation on them, includes planting marram grsss fencing and boardwalks.
what are some positives and negatives of dune regeneration?
positives
-its quite cheap.
-maintains a coastal habitat.
negatives
-takes a long time.
-can hinder tourism.
what are some positives and negatives of soft engineering?
positives
-is cheaper in the short term.
-more sustainable.
-looks more natural.
negatives
-needs more maintenance.
-not as effective at reducing erosion.