Geography - CASE STUDY, Holderness coastline (distinctive landcapes)

Where is the Holderness coastline located?

on the east coast of England

Why is the Holderness coastline in need for protection?

• It is the fastest eroding coastline in Europe

• It is rapidly eroding at an average of 1.8 metres a year

state 4 reasons why the Holderness coastline is eroding so easily.

• the cliffs are made from soft clay

• beaches give less protection to the coast as they don't reduce the power of the waves.

• waves travel long distances and are powerful

• groynes have been installed, which stop longshore drift, narrowing unprotected beaches

state management strategies for Holderness coast for Hornsea, Mappleton, spurn head and Withernsea

• Hornsea is protected by a sea wall, groynes and rock armour

• Mappleton is protected by groynes.

• Spurn Head is protected with groynes and rock armour.

• Withernsea has used groynes and also a seawall

State 3 conflict statements on the Holderness coast management.

• increase in erosion at Great Cowden because of the groynes used in Mappleton. This has led to farms being destroyed.

• people disagree with where the sea defences are located, especially if it means the land in their community is not protected.

• sea defences negatively impact on tourism and reduce the amount of money coming in to the area.

name 4 hard engineering strategies.

• sea walls

• groynes

• rock armour

• gabions

name 2 soft engineering strategies.

• beach nourishment

• reprofiling

2 advantages + disadvantages of gryones

• Builds a beach, which encourages tourism

• They trap sediment being carried by longshore drift

• increases rate of erosion

• They look unattractive

2 advantages + disadvantages of rock armours

• Cheaper and easy to maintain

• Can be used for fishing

• They look different to the local geology, as the rock has been imported from other areas

• rocks are expensive to transport

2 advantages + disadvantages of sea walls

• effective at protecting the base of the cliff

• people can walk along them

• Expensive - approximately £2,000 per metre.

• Not as strong.

2 advantages + disadvantages of beach nourishment

• lends in with the existing beach

• larger beaches appeal to tourists

• needs to be constantly replaced

• The sand has to be brought in from elsewhere