UK Case Study: The Holderness Coast
Location:
● The Holderness coastline is located on the
East coast of England,facing the North Sea
and is an area of the East Riding of Yorkshire.
● Features stretch over 50km, from the chalk
cliffs of Flamborough, through the plain of
Holderness, to Spurn Head where a large spit
guards the entrance to the Humber estuary.
● It is the fastest eroding coastline in Europe.
● The average annual rate of erosion is around
2 metres per year but in some places is high as 10 metres per year
● There are 23 towns that are located on the coastline
● Located near the city of Hull
● Underlying the Holderness Coast is bedrock made up of Cretaceous
Chalk. However, in most places, this is covered by glacial till deposited
years ago. It is this soft boulder clay that is being rapidly eroded.
● Holderness coast is located in sediment cell 2
Factors affecting the erosion at holderness
Physical -
geology - The geology runs in bands, with a chalk layer at Flamborough in the
North, Boulder clay or till (laid down in the last ice age) south of that and finally river
deposits in the Humber Estuary. Because the clay is an unconsolidated mass of clay
particles and boulders it erodes more rapidly than the more resistant rock of chalk in
the north.Due to the difference in rates of erosion it has left a bay where the clay is
and a headland at Flamborough head.
weather - winter storms produce stroger waves and higher sea levels. In addition the
rain can increase the rate of subaerial process. When the cliff becomes saturated
after long periods of rain or after a storm event, there is increased runoff leading to
slumping and other forms of mass movement.
Waves- A long fetch under the influence of north-easterly winds creates larger
destructive waves with strong backwash that erode the exposed cliffs. The process
of longshore drift all acts to limit the process of deposition to keep a narrow beach at
the north of the coast, the sediment is moved southwards by longshore drift. Tides
and lower energy environments allow sediment to collect, forming a spit and sand
dunes near Spurn head.
Human-
, Presence of people- when people live at the coast the natural processes at the
coast become a threat. The increase in tourism and retirement at the Holderness
coast has caused an increase in infrastructure along the coast that is being
threatened by natural processes. Therefore humans will put schemes and coastal
management in place to try and reduce erosion rate, but these can have positive and
negative impacts.
Interference - interfering with natural processes such as longshore drift or adding
unsustainable defences can have a negative effect at other parts of the coast.
Groynes build up larger beaches in one area but beach material is stopped from
moving down the coast leading to narrower beaches and a speed up in the rate of
erosion.
Global warming- an indirect human impact of global warming is creating a rise in
sea levels and an increase in extreme weather. This can increase the rate of erosion
and coastal flooding.
impacts of erosion
Social
● Houses prices have fallen for houses that are at risk from erosion
● Around 30 villages have been lost since Roman times
● People have lost homes to erosion and are forced to move.
● farmers have lost farmland and a dairy farm has been lost
● When people have to relocate their homes are worth much less than they paid
for them or still owe a mortgage
● Difficult to get insurance or a mortgage for housing
● People cannot afford to repair or even demolish damaged property
Economic
● good quality farmland is lost which will huge effect on farmers‘ livelihoods
● Visitor numbers dropped in Bridlington by over 30% between 1998-2006
● Many coastal towns rely on tourism for income, which is lost due to
dangerous unstable cliffs and reduction in beaches.
● trade would diminish and facilities would close down.
● loss of jobs, in tourism, farming and businesses in the villages.
● Shops and schools will close as there is little or no new investment
● Many caravan parks are at risk from erosion- loss of income and tourism.
● Loss of infrastructure,roads, communications, houses, drains,.
● Many settlements have had to install expensive hard engineering schemes to
prevent the retreat of cliff edges into settlements
● Existing coastal defences have been damaged by increasing erosion, and it's
expensive to repair
● The Gas Terminal at Easington is at risk which is an important energy source
as it supplies 25% of Britain’s gas supply
Location:
● The Holderness coastline is located on the
East coast of England,facing the North Sea
and is an area of the East Riding of Yorkshire.
● Features stretch over 50km, from the chalk
cliffs of Flamborough, through the plain of
Holderness, to Spurn Head where a large spit
guards the entrance to the Humber estuary.
● It is the fastest eroding coastline in Europe.
● The average annual rate of erosion is around
2 metres per year but in some places is high as 10 metres per year
● There are 23 towns that are located on the coastline
● Located near the city of Hull
● Underlying the Holderness Coast is bedrock made up of Cretaceous
Chalk. However, in most places, this is covered by glacial till deposited
years ago. It is this soft boulder clay that is being rapidly eroded.
● Holderness coast is located in sediment cell 2
Factors affecting the erosion at holderness
Physical -
geology - The geology runs in bands, with a chalk layer at Flamborough in the
North, Boulder clay or till (laid down in the last ice age) south of that and finally river
deposits in the Humber Estuary. Because the clay is an unconsolidated mass of clay
particles and boulders it erodes more rapidly than the more resistant rock of chalk in
the north.Due to the difference in rates of erosion it has left a bay where the clay is
and a headland at Flamborough head.
weather - winter storms produce stroger waves and higher sea levels. In addition the
rain can increase the rate of subaerial process. When the cliff becomes saturated
after long periods of rain or after a storm event, there is increased runoff leading to
slumping and other forms of mass movement.
Waves- A long fetch under the influence of north-easterly winds creates larger
destructive waves with strong backwash that erode the exposed cliffs. The process
of longshore drift all acts to limit the process of deposition to keep a narrow beach at
the north of the coast, the sediment is moved southwards by longshore drift. Tides
and lower energy environments allow sediment to collect, forming a spit and sand
dunes near Spurn head.
Human-
, Presence of people- when people live at the coast the natural processes at the
coast become a threat. The increase in tourism and retirement at the Holderness
coast has caused an increase in infrastructure along the coast that is being
threatened by natural processes. Therefore humans will put schemes and coastal
management in place to try and reduce erosion rate, but these can have positive and
negative impacts.
Interference - interfering with natural processes such as longshore drift or adding
unsustainable defences can have a negative effect at other parts of the coast.
Groynes build up larger beaches in one area but beach material is stopped from
moving down the coast leading to narrower beaches and a speed up in the rate of
erosion.
Global warming- an indirect human impact of global warming is creating a rise in
sea levels and an increase in extreme weather. This can increase the rate of erosion
and coastal flooding.
impacts of erosion
Social
● Houses prices have fallen for houses that are at risk from erosion
● Around 30 villages have been lost since Roman times
● People have lost homes to erosion and are forced to move.
● farmers have lost farmland and a dairy farm has been lost
● When people have to relocate their homes are worth much less than they paid
for them or still owe a mortgage
● Difficult to get insurance or a mortgage for housing
● People cannot afford to repair or even demolish damaged property
Economic
● good quality farmland is lost which will huge effect on farmers‘ livelihoods
● Visitor numbers dropped in Bridlington by over 30% between 1998-2006
● Many coastal towns rely on tourism for income, which is lost due to
dangerous unstable cliffs and reduction in beaches.
● trade would diminish and facilities would close down.
● loss of jobs, in tourism, farming and businesses in the villages.
● Shops and schools will close as there is little or no new investment
● Many caravan parks are at risk from erosion- loss of income and tourism.
● Loss of infrastructure,roads, communications, houses, drains,.
● Many settlements have had to install expensive hard engineering schemes to
prevent the retreat of cliff edges into settlements
● Existing coastal defences have been damaged by increasing erosion, and it's
expensive to repair
● The Gas Terminal at Easington is at risk which is an important energy source
as it supplies 25% of Britain’s gas supply
