Holderness Coast Flashcards
(18 cards)
Where is the Holderness Coastline located?
East Yorkshire, UK.
Why is the Holderness Coastline famous in geography?
It’s the fastest eroding coastline in Europe, eroding up to 2 metres per year.
What type of rock makes the Holderness Coastline prone to erosion?
Boulder clay (glacial till) and glacial sands – both soft and easily eroded.
Why are the waves at Holderness so powerful?
The North Sea provides a long fetch, increasing wave energy and erosion.
What are the main erosion processes at Holderness?
Hydraulic action, attrition, and abrasion.
Why doesn’t the eroded material protect the Holderness Coast?
It’s carried away by longshore drift instead of forming protective beaches.
It’s carried away by longshore drift instead of forming protective beaches.
A farmer at Ringborough Farm who lost nearly half of his 145 acres and removed his piggery in 1973 due to erosion.
How has Mike Needly adapted to the effects of coastal erosion?
By diversifying and selling bottled natural gas.
What are three issues with defending the Holderness Coastline?
Defences worsen erosion down the coast (e.g. Spurn Point SSSI).
High construction/maintenance costs.
No compensation for landowners losing land (£5000–£5500/acre/year).
Why were sea defences built in Withernsea, Hornsea, and Bridlington?
Because the cost-benefit analysis showed it was worth protecting the high-value assets there (towns, housing, tourism).
Why were defences built at Mappleton in 1991?
To protect a vital coastal road only 34m from the sea; it was cheaper to build defences than move the road.
What defences were used in Mappleton and how much did it cost?
£1.9 million spent on 60,000 tonnes of granite and 2 large groynes.
What were the benefits of Mappleton’s sea defences?
Property values rose (mortgages possible), and 20 local jobs were saved at the car garage.
Why were defences built at Easington?
To protect the gas terminal supplying 29% of the UK’s natural gas – groynes and rip rap were used.
Why were no defences built at Kilnsea?
The council didn’t fund them due to low asset value shown in the cost-benefit analysis.
What soft engineering solution was used at Kilnsea?
Locals built flood drainage ditches expected to last around 20 years.
What happened at Sandy Beaches Caravan Park due to lack of defences?
10 metres of land were lost in a winter storm; the government helps fund 5 new plots for every 4 lost.
What does the Holderness case study demonstrate about coastal management?
It shows conflicts in protection, varying responses based on value, and the challenges of sustainable coastal management.
