Coastal Environment (Case Study) Holderness Coastline

Question 1

How long is the coastline and what is the dominant rock type?

Answer 1

61km stretch of coastline dominated by cliffs of soft, boulder clay

Question 2

What is the rate of erosion at Great Cowden?

Answer 2

10m/year

Question 3

Where can you find headlands and wave cut platforms?

Answer 3

Flamborough Head

Sewerby

Question 4

Where can you find slumping cliffs?

Answer 4

Cliffs tiered at Atwick Sands

Question 5

Where can you find a beach?

Answer 5

Sand and pebble beach at Bridlington

Question 6

Where can you find a recurved spit?

Answer 6

Humber Estuary, it is called Spurn Head

Question 7

How much has the coastline been eroded over the past 2000 years and what has been lost?

Answer 7

Eroded by 4km, 30 villages lost, 80,000m^2 of farmland.

The gas terminal at Easington is only 25m from the cliff edge.

Question 8

What is the defence like at Bridlington?

Answer 8

4.7km sea wall and timber groynes

Question 9

What is the defence like at Mappleton?

Answer 9

£2million spent on two rock groynes and 500m revetment which protects the village and the B1242 coastal road

Question 10

What are the problems with sustainability?

Answer 10

Groynes have increased erosion south of Mappleton, Cowden Farm at risk
No mudflats due to reduction in sediment, increased erosion along Lincolnshire coast, and flooding risk along Humber Estuary

Question 11

What is the SMP for the next 50 years?

Answer 11

‘Hold the line’ at settlements including Bridlington, Withernsea, Hornsea, Mappleton and Easington Gas Terminal
‘Do nothing’ along less-populated stretches, not popular with owners here

Question 12

Where can sand dunes be found?

Answer 12

Around Spurn Head

Question 13

What is the defence like at Hornsea?

Answer 13

A concrete sea wall, timber groynes and riprap.

Question 14

What is the defence like at Skipsea?

Answer 14

A landowner has used gabions to help protect his caravan park.

Question 15

What is the defence like at Withernsea?

Answer 15

Groynes and a sea wall. Some riprap was placed in front of the wall after it was damaged in severe storms in 1992.

Question 16

What is the defence like at Easington Gas Terminal?

Answer 16

Protected by a revetment. However, the defences only span about 1km, meaning the village of Easington, with its 700 people are not protected.
Also, the defences may increase erosion at the SSSIs, lagoons to the south.

Question 17

What is the defence like at Spurn Head?

Answer 17

The eastern side is protected by groynes and riprap.

Question 18

What are the challenges along Spurn Head?

Answer 18

In 1995, the Holderness Borough Council decided to stop trying to protect Spurn Head from erosion. This saved money and allowed the spit to function naturally, but overwashing may damage marsh environments and the coastguard station.