West Wittering

Question 1

What is the background/context of West Wittering

Answer 1

• West Wittering’s sea defences protect high value land.
• There is expensive housing behind the East Head sand dune spit - 100 properties are at risk
• Land is also of value as it is a tourist attraction for many during the summer - huge car park that is at potentially at risk
• Behind East Head there is a salt marsh - SSSI
• Sand Dune spit creates habitats
• There is a history of flooding at West Wittering - major in October 2004
• 5-15 years remaining on sea defences
• Benefit of sea defences is £11mil

Question 2

What are the physical geographical processes at West Wittering

Answer 2

Chichester harbour was formed by sea level rise. There are no rivers flowing into the harbour so no input of sediment. Small chalk streams- fishbourne streams- enters the harbour from the n-e, carrying material. The harbour contains brackish water, where the seawater mixes with the freshwater from the streams. Sediment moved from the spit from s to n. Lsd occurs along the beach. The spit can be threatened by erosion during storms.

Question 3

What are the physical geographical landforms at West Wittering

Answer 3

• East head sand spit-east head, situated at the eatern side of the entrance to chichester harbour( approached from the far western end of the west wittering beach car park).

Question 4

What is the management strategy at West Wittering

Answer 4

-Adaptive management

Question 5

What are the hard engineering strategies at West Wittering

Answer 5

-On some part of the beach there is a pre-existing sea wall that helps reduce wave energy

Question 6

What are the hard engineering strategies at West Wittering

Answer 6

• Natural sand dunes have developed over time to protect the land and residents from the beach and the threats it poses. Some effort has also been put in over the years and they have grown 6 feet in some places.
• Groynes can be located towards the end of the beach, they are used to build up the beach and control longshore drift so that more sand dunes can be developed.
• There has been some beach nourishment at the neck of the spit as sand dredged from the top of East Head has been added to stabilize the spit.