Investigating the Geographical Processes that are Affecting the Physical and Built Coastal Environment
There are three geographical processes that are affecting the physical
and built coastal environment, they are; erosion, deposition, and
transportation. Erosion is the group of natural processes, including
weathering, dissolution, abrasion, corrosion, and transportation, by
which material is worn away from the earth’s surface, this is mainly
caused by wind, running water, and waves breaking on the coast.
Deposition is the depositing something or the laying down of matter by
a natural process. Transportation is when sand is moved along the
coast by long shore drift.
At North Cronulla beach erosion is evident. It is being managed by the
local council in two different ways. These include; a rip-rap wall,
dune stabilization. The rip-rap wall consists of large rocks which
have been piled up at an angle. Behind the rip-rap wall the land use
is mainly commercial, but there is also some residential land-use.
This method has been used because human land-use is right on top of
the ocean, and in order to defend these buildings a hard option is
required. There are many things working together to ensure Dune
stabilization. These include; re-vegetation, fences, poly-mesh
fencing, planked walkways, and controlled pedestrian access. This
method is a softer option than the rip-rap wall and is used because
human land-use, which at this place consists mainly of recreational
buildings, is far away from the ocean. Deposition is also being
managed at North Cronulla beach. Dune stabilization is being used to
prevent deposited material from being eroded away.
middle of paper ... ... Site 1 Grid Reference: 211690 Types of Management: - Recurved Sea Wall - Wooden groynes Site 2 Grid Reference: 205687 Types of Management: - Straight Sea Wall - Wooden groynes Site 3 Grid Reference: 201686 Types of Management: - Rip rap boulders Site 4 Grid Reference: 222693 Types of Management: - No management, all natural. Managed retreat. Site 5 Grid Reference: 228695 Types of Management: - Rip rap boulders - Rip rap rock groynes - Wooden groynes - Revetment Site 1 is near Herne Bay and the sites are along the coastline towards Reculver in a North East direction. Site 5 is situated on the beach below the Twin Towers at Reculver.
This shows that it is eroded at one end more which is a sign of long
We saw that there was vegetation, which had been planted on the sand dunes near Dunwich Heath. There is also fencing around the dunes to stop them being eroded through people walking on them. Coastal Protection At Aldeburgh Text Box: Fig 4.1Text Box: In Aldeburgh however, the types of protection involve 'hard' protection. These are man-made objects. At Aldeburgh, three hard protection methods have been employed, and one soft method.
The whole island is in the shape of a giant square with white sandy beaches full of people sunbathing, swimming and fishing right on the shoreline. From the end of the hot pavement parking lot to shore of the beach is an ocean of soft white sand. The pearlescent white sand seems to know how to invade every nook and cranny almost as if it enjoys it. Walking around the beach on the fluffy whiteness surrounding the parking lot, the seagulls are fighting over scraps of food on the ground. “Sandy beach ecosystems provide invaluable services to humankind. Their functions have been exploited through history, with significant anthropogenic effects (Lucrezi, 2015)”. This white sandy beach is a beautiful refuge from the mundane grind of everyday life. The smell of the misty ocean air mixed with the sound of seagulls hovering above and kids playing is a tonic for the mind. The feel of the sand between their toes and the waves crashing over them as people swim in the water, or the jerk of a fishing pole when someone is catching a fish makes Fred Howard Park one of the best places to relax. Standing on the beach looking out on the water, people are kayaking and windsurfing. The lifeguards watching vigilantly in their bright red shirt and shorts, blowing their whistles when they see someone being unsafe. After a long day of swimming and laying around visitors head back over the soft white sand to the showers, in order to rinse off the menacing sand that clings to everything like a bad habit. Everyone rushes over the hot pavement burning their feet to reach their cars so they can put away their beach paraphernalia which is still covered in the white sand, nearly impossible to completely leave behind, so when they get home it serves as a reminder of where they were that
There are many different types of coasts that exist throughout the United States. The south shore of Long Island has a unique types of coast known as a barrier beach. Barrier beaches are long narrow land forms that are composed of sand and other lose sediments. These sediments are brought together by the actions of waves, currents and storm surges. Barrier beaches are subject to constant changes by the same forces. Sand is constantly eroded in one area an deposited in another. Barrier coasts are important for a number of reasons; they protect the mainland of Long Island from the open ocean and flooding during storms, for recreational use and the unique ecosystems which exist on barrier beaches.
Longshore drift is a process by which sediments are transported from one place to another. When this process occurs, beaches, spits and sandbars are accreted over time. If the process of longshore drift is altered by factors such as stronger winds and stronger currents, beach erosion begins at a faster rate and this may result in many serious problems. The main stakeholders of longshore drift are resort owners. They rely on people to visit their resorts and enjoy the beach. However, if longshore drift erodes t...
Geologically speaking, Louisiana is a very young state. Environmentally speaking, Louisiana is a very fragile state. Louisiana has always been dependent upon the nutrient rich deposits from the Mississippi River to build up the land. Centuries ago the Mississippi River periodically changed its course, building up Louisiana one delta at a time. The erosional forces of the Gulf of Mexico and annual hurricanes depleted Louisiana’s coastline, but the mighty Mississippi River would replenish the land losses. Such is the relationship that forces of nature have with one another. Place mankind in the mix, and the relationship becomes stressed and dysfunctional. The present day Louisiana coastline is a mere shadow of its former self. Let’s look at how Louisiana came to its current demise and what is being done to rectify the situation.
Coastal erosion is a growing problem along the Gulf Coast. Louisiana is one of the coastal states most affected by coastal erosion. Ninety percent of wetland loss in the nation occurs in Louisiana, losing 25-35 square miles per year. At that rate, Louisiana will lose 640,000 more acres by 2050. Many factors contribute to this land loss, such as rising sea levels, subsidence, hurricane storm surge, cold fronts, and human interference. Cold fronts and hurricanes can both have detrimental consequences on the coast of Louisiana (Zhang 2004) (Restore or Retreat 2012). This research shows whether cold fronts or hurricanes have a larger effect on coastal erosion. The researcher will describe how historical and current satellite imagery help in determining the changes in the Louisiana coast. Based on previous research, the researcher believes that hurricanes have more of an effect on coastal erosion than cold fronts due to the high winds and storm surge.
Major erosion has been occurring in Collaroy for nearly 100 years; Major storms in 1913/14, 1944/5, 1966/67 and 1974 saw buildings damaged or washed away starting with the Collaroy Surf Lifesaving Club and Dressing Sheds in the summer of 1913/14. Since the 1920s, the council has still continued to allow massive over-development even after houses and structures had been damaged and washed away. Source B is a photograph from 1966 showing destruction caused to infrastructure as a result of building houses too close to the waterline, in spite of the risk of
This paper introduces the environmental concerns of the loss of coastal wetlands. The paper will discuss the significance of wetlands and the devastation that is occurring because of human activity. Wetlands are an essential element of our environment both ecological and societal; conservation will be essential for the preservation of these precious ecosystems.
The Chesapeake Bay region is highly effected by climate change. This region is close to the water which makes it an easy target for flooding because of sea-level rise but the land is also sinking because of aquafer depletion. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has been organized to protect and save the Chesapeake Bay and the areas that surround it. The American Farm Bureau Federation is somewhat opposed to the bay. In 2016, The Supreme Court denied the American Farm Bureau Federation to try and stop the federal state partnerships that clean up the Chesapeake Bay (Chesapeake Bay Foundation). The American Farm Bureau Federation and partners were trying to challenge the legality of the Chesapeake Bay clean-up plan that is also known as the Chesapeake
and the effect it will have on the coast before they are allowed to be
In addition, the halt in the land-building process allows erosion to eat up parts of the Louisiana coastline. This alarmingly quick decrease in coastal land is allowing coastal storms to tear up even larger pieces of land and move even closer to major cities such as New Orleans. As a result of human actions, the cities are more endangered than ever before. A similar situation is present in “ Los Angeles Against the Mountains”. Debris basins are the primary defense against destruction by the flows of rock.
present down in a notepad we had with us at the time. We then took
The problem with contaminated beaches will soon take effect on everyone. The main causes that pollution creates in the beaches are from heavy rainfall, natural disasters, and plant malfunctions. Government agencies cannot control the weather, but they can control what goes into the water. In the United States, the number one reason why beaches are closed down are due to contamination in the water that may be harmful and are left untreated. The arising problem with the beach is that the industries are producing toxic chemicals and tossing the unwanted waste into the ocean. Also, the public are recklessly throwing their trash out into the streets. A prime example to demonstrate this is, if someone was trying to throw a bottle into a street trashcan but missed, he/she is unlikely to pick up after himself/herself if no one was around to see it. This scenario causes pollution to the sidewalks. When mother nature disasters occur, these waste products will end up in the storm drains and into the sewage system. The overflow of debri from the cities can flow into the rivers and if not preserved, it can flow into the ocean. The rivers will then carry these human caused waste into t...