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The Holderness Coastline case study We use this stretch of coastline to cover two case studies in one.1) A case study of an area of cliff collapseto include:a) The reason for coastal erosion, including human causesb) The effects of cliff collapse2) A case study of coastal management to include the benefits and costs of different strategies
This area of coastline is found between Flamborough head and Bridlington on the Yorkshire Coast, North East England 5 Minute challenge: make a copy of the map on page in …. Aim to include outline of coast and coastal settlements. Leave room on your sketch map for more detail to be added later
An Overview of the Coastline This area of coastline is found between Flamborough head and Bridlington on the Yorkshire Coast. On average, over 2 metres of coastline is lost every year and since roman times it has lost 4km of land, and 29 villages, with this number rising even now.
The Factors Affecting Erosion On average, over 2 metres of coastline is lost every year and since roman times it has lost 4km of land, and 29 villages, with this number rising even now. There are three main reasons for this erosion: 1. Geology (rock type) 2. The fetch 3. Longshore drift and beach material
Geology The boulder clay has very little resistance to erosion, especially when wet, making it very susceptible to erosion The two main types of rock on the Holderness coast are Boulder clay and chalk
Fetch Holderness is exposed to winds and waves from the north-east, which have a small fetch of about 500-800km. This is not far, but the coast at Holderness is attacked by other factors, affecting the ferocity of the waves.
Factors Affecting the Fetch • Currents – or swell – which circulate around the UK from the Atlantic and into the North sea. The Atlantic fetch is 5000km or more, and its currents add energy to waves in the North sea. Therefore, there are often powerful destructive waves along this coastline. • Low pressure weather systems passing over the North sea are often intense, and locally produce very strong winds and waves. • Small, almost enclosed seas, like the North sea, often generate huge waves during storms. Waves move within the sea but cannot disperse their energy – rather like water slopping up against the side of a washbasin • The sea floor is deep along the Holderness coast. Therefore, the waves reach the cliffs without first being weakened by friction with shallow beaches.
Longshore Drift and Beach Material The beaches at Holderness are its main problem. Boulder clay erodes to produce mainly clay particles, which are easily transported out to sea, rather than accumulating close to the cliffs as beach sand. Although there are beaches, there is never enough sand to stop the waves reaching the cliff base at high tide. What little sand is produced is taken southwards by longshore drift, leaving the Holderness cliffs poorly protected against wave attack. Eventually, a small amount of beach material reaches a spit at Spurn Head, where it accumulates.
Protect one place erode another (or how people can speed up coastal erosion Some places along the Holderness coast are eroding even quicker because people have ….
Jess has just bought a lovely seaside house built on the cliff tops of Holderness, East Yorkshire.
Dear Jess I am afraid you have bought your house in an area with…(explain the rock type in detail) In addition, the North sea is known to have a long/short fetch which increases/decreases wave energy. There are also some other factors that affect the fetch …… Also, people have recently made the situation worse by protecting the beach with groynes just north of your house. This means that ….. and therefore you will not be able to get insurance for it. In addition, you have the added factor (explain briefly sea level rise and land sinking) Sorry to bring the bad news!
To locate areas of coastal erosion (E-D) To explain coastal erosion (C-B) To apply this knowledge to a case study (A-A*) I’m sorry I still don’t understand, can you just quickly sum up your email in 5 VERY short points?
