where is Holderness located ?
east coast of England
extends 61km from flamborough in the north to spurn point in the south
how much of the coastline eroded annually ?
average annual rate of around 2 meters
2 million tonnes every year
what is geology of the holderness coastline ?
made up of soft boulder clay (glacial tills ) left after the retreat of the devensian ice sheets 12,000 years ago
these soft deposits sit on a platform of chalk which slopes away
why is the coastline eroding so fast ?
geology - soft clay boulders have little resistance to erosion ( glacial tills left over )
fetch
longshore drift and beach material
why does the fetch effect how the coastline is eroded ?
(how far the waves have travelled)
holderness is exposed to wind and waves from the north east producing a 500-800 km fetch
- currents from the Atlantic move up and add even more energy to the waves ( powerful destructive waves )
- weather systems and storms in the north sea are intense , the low pressure raises the sea level and produces higher tides and powerful waves
- deep sea floor meaning waves hit the coast fast and are not slowed down by friction
how does longshore drift and beach material cause more erosion ?
-the boulder clay which is easily eroded produces very small clay particles which are easily transported by LSD out to sea and along the coast rather than accumulating at the cliffs to protect from waves
-the beaches are narrow and fail to absorb wave energy during high tide there is not enough beach and waves hit the cliffs
-tides flow to the south, transporting material along the coast. there is an imbalance as the harder chalk up the coast does not provide enough material for places like hornsea, so backwash moves more than what is deposited
what are the economic impacts of erosion ?
- number of visitors has dropped
- some settlements unable to maintain a population to warrant shops
- money has to spent on coastal management
- the gas terminal in easington which supplies 25% of britians gas is at risk
- 80,000 m2 of farmland lost each year
- predicted that 200 homes will fall into the sea by 2100
what are the social impacts of erosion?
- around 30 villages have been lost since roman times
- reliant of tourism ,as facilities close down the settlements which are unable to keep a population
- properties under threat of erosion lose their value leaving owners with negative equity and no financial support
what are the environmental impacts of erosion ?
- wildlife behind spurn point is losing biodiversity as the environment cannot support many species due of the lack of sediment
- some SSSIs ( sites of special scientific interest ) are threatened by erosion
what are the coastal landforms found at flamborough ?
- selwicks bay
- arches
- stacks
- caves
- chalk cliffs
- wave cut platform
what are the coastal features at skipsea ?
beach material is being transported south by LSD , there is limited material replenished as there are groynes up north in bridlington
what is the impact of coastal erosion at skipsea ?
economic impact is felt as the skipsea caravan park is being eroded, losing 10 caravan pitches each year
also caused property values to drop significantly and no compensations are available
the skipsea to Tunstall coastal road has been eroded
how is the coast managed at skipsea ?
small concrete revetment to protect the caravan park
what is the location of Hornsea ?
small coastal town on the Holderness coast
consists of high density urban development containing residential areas
lots of tourism, recreation and a small fishing industry
what are the coastal features at Hornsea ?
the groynes on Hornsea beach ensure wide and relatively steep beaches
beaches are made of sand and shingle
boulder clay cliffs
why is coastal management needed at Hornsea ?
- Hornsea mere is Yorkshires largest natural lake and is an important recreational site for visitors and residents
- high population density
- range of infrastructure
what coastal management is present at hornsea ?
hold the line
hard engineering : concrete sea wall with some rock armour along it , timber groynes, steal gabion and concrete revetment ongoing refurbishment program
what are the positive effects of coastal management at hornsea ?
- prevent erosion and withstand winter storms
- groynes have ensured a wide sandy beach which attracts 1000s of tourists supporting local businesses eg. the long beach leisure park, and fishing industry thrives as boats can be launched
what are the negative effects of management at hornsea ?
- where defences end erosion rates have rapidly increased
- downdrift beach is starved of sediment trapped behind groynes
- this has increased conflict between business owners and the county council
why was management needed at mappleton ?
the B1242 road connecting settlements along the Holderness coast, cheaper to protect mappleton than to construct a new road
village with 50 properties and home to 342 people
what management was used at mappleton ?
1991 £2million was spent on two rock groynes and a rock revetment, blocks of granite where imported from Norway
the cliffs have been reprofiles forming gentle slopes which have been stabilised by vegetation, this has prevented mass movement
what are the positive impacts of management at mappleton ?
- erosion prevented
- housed and road protected
- sandy beach has increased tourism and a car park and toilet facilities have been constructed
what are the negative effects of management at mappleton ?
- increased erosion further south and loss of beaches, this has meant waves hit the cliffs and further increased erosion and mass movement
what coastal management is there at Withernsea ?
-recurved seawall and promenade costing £6.3million to construct
-groynes with a lifespan of 50years
-rock armour
