Cliff collapse Case Study

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Location of recent or threatened cliff collapse?
Holderness coast, east Yorkshire, England
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What is the rate of erosion?
On average 1.8m per year but in some places 10m per year.
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Why is the coastline susceptible to erosion?
The coastline is composed of soft rock (chalk and boulder clay); the coastline faces highly erosive waves from across the north sea.
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How have humans worsened the situation?
By building groynes, it starves beaches further down the coastline which narrows the beaches and the natural barrier to erosion. So the cliffs erode faster.
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What are the social impacts?
The gas terminal at Easington supplies 25% of the UK's gas and is only 25m form cliff edge. 80 000m squared of farmland is lost each year so farmers lose their livelihoods.
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What are the environmental impacts?
The bars at Easington are under the threat of breaking through, this would destroy the lagoons behind them. SSSI's like the nature reserve behind spurn head spit are under threat. If the spit is destroyed then the reserve will be exposed to erosion
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is the rate of erosion?

Back

On average 1.8m per year but in some places 10m per year.

Card 3

Front

Why is the coastline susceptible to erosion?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

How have humans worsened the situation?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What are the social impacts?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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