Causes and Effects of Coastal Erosion

?

Causes and Effects of Coastal Erosion

Causes

  • Input of coastal defences along the coast at Hornsea, Withernsea and Mappleton.
  • Removal of sediment offshore - in 2000, 3811044 tones was dredged illegally offshore.
  • Housing development
  • Cliff is made up soft glacial material
  • Waves have a long fetch
  • The beaches are narrow

Effects

  • Could have an affect on places further down the coastline, because of longshore drift and build up of material
  • Sediment is taken away which means that there is less sediment on the beach to protect the coastline against the waves.
  • Can make the soil/rock weaker which makes it more vulnerable to erosion.
  • The material is easily eroded by the waves which means that the cliff is quickly eroded and the waves are more effective
  • The waves can build up a lot of energy because of the fetch
  • There is less sediment to protect the coastline

Overall summary

Both human and physical causes can have a detrimental effect on erosion of a coastline. Each cause has a long or short term effect which can either speed up or slow down the speed of erosion and how effective it is. 

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Geography resources:

See all Geography resources »See all Coastal environments resources »