Soft Engineering Flashcards
What is soft engineering
Uses natural systems for coastal defence
What is beach nourishment
Addition of sand or pebbles to an existing beach to make it higher or wider. The sediment is usually dredged from the nearby seabed
What are the advantages of beach nourishment
Relatively cheap and easy to maintain.
Looks natural and blends in with existing beach
Increases tourism potential by creating a bigger beach
Disadvantages of beach nourishment
Needs constant maintenance due to the natural processes of erosion and longshore drift
Cost of beach nourishment
£300,000/100m
What is cliff regrading and drainage
Cliff regrading reduces the angle of the cliff to help stabilise it
Drainage removes water to prevent landslides and slumping
Advantages of cliff regrading and drainage
Can be effective on clay or loose rock where other methods will not work
Drainage is cost effective
Disadvantages of cliff regrading and drainage
Regrading effectively causes the cliff to retreat
Drained cliffs can dry out and lead to collapse (rock falls)
Cost of cliff regrading and drainage
Cost is variable
What is dune stabilisation
Marram grass can be planted to stabilise dunes.
Areas can be fenced in to keep people off newly planted dunes
Advantages of dune stabilisation
Maintains a natural coastal environment.
Provides important wildlife habitats
Relatively cheap and sustainable
Disadvantages of dune stabilisation
Time consuming to plant marram grass
People may respond negatively to being kept off certain areas
Costs of dune stabilisation
£200 to £2000/100m
What is marsh creation
A form of managed retreat, by allowing low-lying coastal areas to be flooded by the sea. The land then becomes a salt marsh
Advantages of marsh creation
Relatively cheap
Creates a natural buffer to powerful waves
Creates an important wildlife habitat
