The Arguments For and Against Coastal Protection Schemes
The sea is constantly eroding the coastline. This destroys property,
and people living nearby have reduced value on their houses. Natural
beauty spots and walks are lost, reducing tourism in seaside towns.
Solutions to this are coastal protection schemes that slow the waves
down and delay the process of erosion on the cliffs.
The arguments for sea defence schemes are as follows…
Sea protection plans help to prevent further loss of economy caused by
coastal erosion, for example; reduced property prices in 'at-risk'
areas, less tourism due to destruction of tourist spots (which results
in less money), and the replacement of important sites e.g.:
industrial areas, ports and places of historical and geological
interest would be expensive.
Coastal protection schemes protect the habitats of plant and wildlife,
which cannot be replaced.
The arguments against sea defence schemes are…
Most sea defence schemes are expensive to build and maintain, and this
money is taken from taxpayers. Some people say their money is wasted,
because the coastal defences themselves will eventually be eroded
away. Coastal defences create visual pollution, and ruin the natural
atmosphere of the beach. Also, if they are poorly maintained, they may
pose a hazard to swimmers and sunbathers.
Methods of protecting the coast are:
Sea wall. This is a barrier that reflects the waves and withstands
storms, completely protecting the cliff. Although they effectively
reduce erosion, they are costly at £6000 per metre, and spoil the
natural view of the coast.
Beach Re-building. The sand on a beach inhibits the sea from eroding
the coast as much, by absorbing some energy from the waves as they hit
the shore and slows them down as they go up the slope to the cliff.
This costs £3 per cubic metre. Groynes are small walls that jut out
into the sea to stop the sand (that protects the cliff) being washed
away. These cost £10000 each. But as groynes collect sand to stop it
from being carried away, the amount of sand on the other side of the
In Roman times St. Mary's Church was built with Twin Towers as part of the building. Originally the church was 3kms away from the sea but as the cliff was eroded it eventually became next to the see. There was a danger the cliff under the Twin Towers and therefore the Twin Towers themselves would be destroyed by erosion. To stop this happening many coastal defences and different types of management have been erected. The initial try at coastal management was in 1809.
* A decrease in pebble size in the direction of long shore drift. * An increase in pebble roundness in the direction of long shore drift. I visited the two extreme ends of the beach, Gore point at the west and Hurl stone point at the east, at each end I measured: * The shape of the beach known as the beach profile, using a tape measurer and a clinometer. A clinometer measures the angle of a slope. * The size and shape of a sample of pebbles.
coast (as shown in pictures 1 & 2). The area of sea is subject to the
To do so, various stages of protection work were carried out. The first of these was the main protection of the cliff face; the aim was to prevent any falling rock and also cliff retreat with the hope that this would affect the input sediment rate, slowing it down. An extremely important coastal work implemented at the cliff sites from Hastings eastwards towards Fairlight. It was important however, to implement such works on the cliffs, because of their composition or geology that being soft sandstone with a shingle base all along the coastline.
times the length of the Bay. By virtue of blind luck or physics, the tide is
Longshore drift influences the deposition and erosion of sediments. Waves erode the coast and transport the eroded material along the coastline. Over a period of time, the material will be deposited on a beach or form a larger feature such as a spit. Groynes are structures built at equal intervals along the coastline. Their purpose is to restrict longshore drift, preventing coastal erosion.
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.
Introduction The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary located on the east coast of the United States. The bay is over 200 miles long and goes through Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The bay has much to offer the locals. Many locals have made a career out of harvesting the bay's sea food.
affects the ecosystem. The land's incline prevents some areas to receive and maintain a water
This paper will attempt to do several things in regards to the Great Lakes Heritage Coast. First, the author will provide some background information pertinent to this issue. Secondly, a summary of the current status of the Great Lakes Heritage Coast as presented by the guest speaker. Furthermore, the author of this paper will provide a personal opinion in regards to the importance of a partnership with First Nations along the coast.
Surfers, swimmers and sunbathers use beaches for recreation. People fish off beaches for food. Since many people take their vacations at the beach, lots of beaches in tropical locations are important to their country’s economy. Entire cities, regions and countries depend on the money tourists spend while visiting the beach. Beaches are naturally very dynamic places, but people try to control them and build permanent structures, such as houses, restaurants, shops and hotels, on or near the shore. The natural erosion and deposition of beaches becomes a problem. Beaches con disappear over time, or even over night during severe storms. Beaches are areas of loose sediment (sand, gravel, cobbles) controlled by ocean processes. Most beaches have several characteristic features. First are offshore bars, which help protect beaches from erosion. Next is the foreshore, which rises from the water toward the crest of the next feature; a berm. On low-lying shores, dunes form behind beaches. Dunes look like rolling hills of sand and are blown into place by the wind. New, smaller dunes are often changing shape as the wind continues to affect them. Waves and currents move the accumulated sediment constantly creating, eroding and changing the coastlines.
Prevention is necessary to control many problems in the Chesapeake Bay. Prevention can range from something as big as a government issue or as small as a single person helping out. The greatest chance at total protection for water quality is when many people and organizations work together to prevent problems. According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, “Federal, state and non-profit Bay Program partners are working with farmers, developers, homeowners and local governments to reduce pollutants from multiple sources and restore water quality for all to enjoy” (Chesapeake Bay Program).
These four studies evaluated the use of marine protected areas (MPAs) as the primary tool for conservation efforts. Within Fox’s study he identifies four components that increase a MPA’s effectiveness, all of which focus on bringing together the goals of the governing bodies involved, as well those of the locals who rely on the marine systems in question for resources. The research presented by Edgar and his team presents similar findings as they identify five factors that have shown to increase the success of MPAs after they studied 87 different MPA locations. In addition to identifying the key factors that contribute to MPA success, they also identify some factors that lead to MPA failure. Halpern’s study focuses on the limitations of MPA networks and the broader scope issues that need to also be addressed in order to for MPAs to be truly effective. Halpern and his team suggest that an EBM approach may be the best solution for addressing these issues. Chuenpagdee’s research also highlights the challenges and issues surrounding the implementation of effective MPAs. The study included an in-depth look into four case studies that focused on the design stages of MPAs, and the social issues that must be taken into consideration, and how the incorporation of local communities into management efforts could lead to increases in MPA network success and sustainability. The compilation of data presented in these studies, all highlight the fact that nations are increasing the number of MPAs, in order to reach international goals of conservation, however even if the global area goals of protection are met, it is clear that the success of these protected areas will be heavily dependent upon the socioeconomic issues surrounding the impacted ...
Hydraulic Action, when waves hit the cliff, air is forced into cracks, and then as the wave retreats this air expands explosively. Over time the cracks enlarge, weakening the base of the cliff causing erosion.
The oceans need to be protected because it is where life began and if not taken care of, life as we know it will end. When dangerous substances go into the ocean, ecosystems are suffer and become endangered along with lives of people and of marine life. Surfrider Foundation recognizes the importance of protecting and preserving the quality and biodiversity of the world's coasts because they are truly irreplaceable. There is also historical evidence of ocean pollution being present in the past, but the problem still lingers today. Heal the Bay discovered that,“Did you know there is a DDT and PCB hot spot off the coast of Palos Verdes? This superfund site (which indicates it's one of the most polluted places in the United States), is left over from a 1930's era chemical plant. Because DDT takes so long to break down in the marine environment, it persists to this day, contaminating certain species of fish. There are also highly polluted sediments in the Long Beach area, a sign of the heavy shipping in the port. Heal the Bay works on developing effective capping and removal plans to keep those toxins from spreading” (Heal the Bay). DDT is still highly concentrated in the South Bay area and still contaminating different species of fish. Even after more than 80 years DDT, a toxic insecticide, is still very concentrated and during upwellings, DDT particles come back up and continue to harm marine life. If humans are careless about what is thrown on the floor or sprayed on lawns, it can lead to disastrous affects when it comes to the condition of the ocean's ecosystems, and can endanger life itself leading to a problem that only we can mend.