Coasts - Case Studies

Holderness Description

Holderness is a 61km stretch of coastline from Flamborough head to Spurn Point on the East Yorkshire coastline. The coastline is made up of soft boulder clay which is very easily eroded, making it the fastest eroding coastline in Europe

Flamborough head

A set of chalk cliffs that has eroded at a slower rate than the soft boulder clay, leading to Flamborough head becoming a headland. A wave-cut platform is present at Flamborough Head.

Spurn Point

A depositional landform where sediment has been transported along the Holderness coastline by long shore drift. At Spurn Point, the coastline changes direction so when the sediment was deposited parallel with the previous section of coastline, a spit was formed. Spurn Point was rounded off by a temporary change in the wind direction. A salt marsh is present behind Spurn Point.

Coastal Management along Holderness- Intro to Hornsea

Hornsea is a small town with a large caravan leisure park that frequently loses property due to erosion in the form of cliff collapse (which are 72% mud). Hornsea's economy is based on fishing, recreation and tourism so the caravan leisure park is important to the local economy.

Hornsea's coastal management scheme benefits

Hornsea uses groynes to trap sediment transported by LSD, this sediment helps build up the beach and prevent the promenade from flooding. Concrete revetments are used to break up wave energy at the foot of the cliffs, gabions are also used. Rock armour is placed at the foot of the sea wall, this breaks up wave energy. These hard engineering strategies protect Hornsea by ensuring it has a built-up beach with measures to prevent flooding and erosion.

Hornsea's coastal management scheme drawbacks

The hard engineering strategies are effective at Hornsea however hard engineering has proven to exacerbate erosion further down the coast, coupled with similar coastal management at Mappleton, there has been greater erosion in farmland areas, e.g. Greater Cowden, where land value is significantly lower than urban areas.

Seaford, East Sussex coastal management

Seaford has a shingle beach, this shingle is transported along the coast from West (Newhaven) to East (Eastbourne) by long shore drift. Measures are in place to preserve shingle otherwise Seaford can suffer from intense flooding during storms.

Seaford's terminal groyne

Seaford's terminal groyne was constructed in June 1986, at a cost of £620,000, it took 20 weeks to complete. Advantages include; it traps sediment being transported by LSD therefore Seaford beach is built up. The terminal groyne is also relatively cheap for its effectiveness. Disadvantages include; By trapping sediment from being transported by LSD, it starves the coastline further down the coast of sediment. It is also criticised for being unnatural.

Seaford's sea wall

The sea wall cost £1.4m in 1986, at roughly £6000/metre. The concrete wave is designed to absorb wave energy. Advantages include; being effective in preventing erosion as the wall absorbs wave energy. Also, leisure opportunities arise as the sea wall becomes a promenade. Disadvantages include; wave energy often being reflected elsewhere, it looks unnatural and intrusive, also it is expensive to build.

Seaford's rock armour

Rock armour in Seaford are piles of granite boulders behind the sea wall at a cost of £1.4m cost as the boulders were imported from Spain, 58,000 tonnes in total. Advantages include; it stabilises the beach and is easy to construct with low maintenance. Disadvantages include; it can look intrusive and is dangerous.

Seaford's beach replenishment

Shingle pumped from offshore sea bed, builds up the beach, at a cost of £6.2m. Advantages include; it keeps the beach built up and it allows the beach to remain natural-looking. Disadvantages include; It is needed frequently as sediment is transported along the coast and lost from the beach and/or eroded.

Seaford's beach recycling

Diggers and trucks transport shingle from the East end of the beach (by the terminal groyne) at a cost of £300,000/year. Advantages include; increased tourism opportunities and its natural appearance. Disadvantages include; constant maintenance and restricted beach access during recycling.

Odisha ICZM

Odisha is the 9th largest state in India and 11th by population. It is in the NE of India, bordering the Bay of Bengal. Odisha is largely low-lying coastal plains with six distinctive river deltas.

Odisha ICZM ecology and biodiversity

Odisha's coastline of 480km has 1435km squared of mangrove forest as well as large stocks of fish, reptiles, turtles and seaweed. It also has wind, solar, tidal and wave energy opportunities. Chilika lake is an example of this ecology, with over 150 bird species.

Odisha ICZM drawbacks

Human intervention to protect infrastructure has led to exacerbated erosion further down the coast. Dense mangrove forest leads to 50% higher deposition rates, with deforestation the mangrove is less effective.

Odisha ICZM climate change effects on human life

Low-lying settlements have flooded. Tropical storms are becoming more frequent and more powerful due to a warming ocean. Coastal properties are facing higher rates of erosion. Authorities now supply relief supplies to affected communities.

Odisha ICZM project

The integrated coastal zone management project in Odisha is a collaberation between local and national government, the World Bank and the ministry of forest and environment. The project aims to facilitate economic and social activity while protecting environmental assets and resolving stakeholder conflict.

Odisha ICZM project objectives

Criteria of objectives towards success: Formulation of ICZM, Coastal erosion, Vulnerability to disaster, Biodiversity conservation, Livelihood security, pollution and environment quality, cultural asset protection