Outline and evaluate the effectiveness of strategies used to manage the impact of geomorphological processes on human activity in your chosen geomorphic environment
Outline and evaluate the effectiveness of strategies used to manage the impact of geomorphological processes on human activity in your chosen geomorphic environment.
There is a wide range of management strategies that deal with coastal processes on coastlines. Many of these strategies however, are expensive but are not always successful, such as hard engineering. Other strategies, such as soft engineering, require a deeper understanding of geomorphological areas but can bring bigger benefits for lower costs. Different countries all over the world use different engineering strategies to protect their coastlines.
Erosion is one of the main processes that affects coastlines and is the process that is desperately trying to be stopped by the use of several management strategies. For example, Bournemouth beach was nearly disappeared in the 1960s as a result of erosion. Now, wooden barriers known as groynes were placed along the beach to prevent long shore drift from taking the sand from the beach elsewhere, trapping sediment. In total, 26 groynes were placed alongside a 15km stretch. To replace to beach which had already been lost, sand was dredged from the sea floor and formed a new beach. The groynes have stopped most of the sand from moving. This strategy has been highly successful in Bournemouth. Even though the groynes seem expensive at £200,000 each, they are by far much cheaper than sea walls. Also, it has been highly successful as the beach has remained at Bournemouth and has also proceeded to build it up, created five miles of golden sand which has led the town to boom economically. However, the groynes will have to soon be replaced as they have a short lifespan. Also, the groynes have reduced recreational value and have now reduced how tourist-friendly the area is. However, the groynes have already been a success. The beach nourishment has also roved to be a success. Although the scheme is expensive, it has caused low environmental harm and protected the coastline. It is sustainable and has led to a booming area from tourists. Usually, it has a short life span; however, the groynes at Bournemouth have prolonged its life. However, these strategies have caused a knock on effect further down the coast at Barton-on-Sea as long shore drift is stopped due to the groynes, leaving the beaches starved and no longer provide protection for the cliff face. The clay at the cliff foot is impermeable; causing increased mass and makes it liquefied, leading to collapse. However, the gravel at the top of the cliff is permeable and is easily eroded due to subaerial erosion. This is an example of where management did not work. Large amounts of hard engineering was added to Barton-on-Sea, including rock groynes and armour revetments, barriers of interlocking sheet piles and cliffs were revegetated. Not only were these strategies unsuccessful, but they caused substantial damage to the environment as well. They had tried to manage the foot of the cliff, whereas it should have been the top of the cliff that was protected from subaerial erosion. Barton-on-Sea continues to blame the management strategies at Bournemouth for their high rates of erosion.