Case Studies - Coastal Zone

HOLDERNESS, YORKSHIRE

• The average rate of erosion is about 1.8 m per year at Holderness

This is due to:

• Easily eroded rock type, boulder clay, which can also slump when wet.
• Naturally narrow beaches which means less natural defence against sea
• Groynes further up the coast limit material supply, narrowing beaches further.
• Powerful waves due to coast facing the prevailing wind

IMPACTS ON PEOPLE

• Homes near cliff are at risk of collapsing into the sea
• Property prices fall
• Accessability affected
• Businesses are lost and people lose jobs
• Gas terminal close by is at risk and could cut supply
• 80,000 square metres of farmland lost each year

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

• Some SSSIs are threatened e.g. the Lagoons near Easington could be lost if bar is eroded.
• Natural habitats are lost

THE MALDIVES

• Population of 300,000
• Average island height only 1.5m above sea leavel, with 80% below 1m.

Impacts

• Economic - Loss of tourism (the largest industry) and disruption to fishing industry (the largest export)
• Social - Homes damaged or destroyed and low fresh water supplies
• Environmental - Loss of beaches and soil
• Political - Government has been changing policies and plans and asked for $60 million to build a sea wall.

HOLDERNESS, YORKSHIRE

Strategies:

• Bridlington is protected by a 4.7km sea wall and wooden groynes
• Hornsea has groynes, sea wall and rock armour
• Mappleton has two rock groynes
• Withernsea has groynes, a sea wall and rock armour.
• Spurn Head Spit is protected by groynes and rock armour.

Problems:

• Groynes starve beaches further down the coast putting them more at risk
• Reducing the amount of eroded material, increases the risk of flooding at Humber estuary
• This is the same for the Lincolnshire coast
• Spurn Head could be eroded away because less material is being added.
• Maintaining the defences is expensive.

KEYHAVEN MARSHES, HAMPSHIRE

• The salt marsh is retreating by up to 6m a year
• The salt marsh could be under threat if Hurst Castle spit is breached in storms etc.
• Increasing demands for leisure and tourism have meant more visitors. Careful management is required to prevent damage by trampling, parking and pollution.
• In 1996, rock armour and beach nourishment were used to increase the spit therefore protecting the marshes.
• The area is an SSSI therefore is carefully managed and monitored
• Sea levels are expected to rise and this could be dangerous for the marshes

Common Wildlife:

• Cordgrass
• Sea lavender
• Oystercatcher (bird)
• Common blue (butterfly)
• Wold Spider