2 Main Aims of Management Strategies
Defend and mitigate against impacts of flooding
Protect and mitigate against impacts of erosion
Hold the Line
Maintain existing defences
Advance the Line
Build defences seaward of existing line
Managed Realignment / Retreat the Line
Allow retreat but closely manage its’ rate and location
Do Nothing
Low value land left to natural processes
Tangible Costs
Costs and benefits known
Given monetary value
i.e. Houses, infrastructure, farmland
Intangible Costs
Costs that are difficult to assess but that are important
i.e. Impacts downwind, visual impacts, ecosystem loss
For a management strategy to pass a CBA, how much does £1 spent have to protect?
£7
Sea Wall Advantages
Prevents erosion
Promenade for tourists
Flood barrier, increases height of coastline
Sea Wall Disadvantages
Reflects energy, doesn’t absorb it
Unnatural looking
Expensive to build and maintain- gaps exploited by hydraulic action
Rip Rap / Rock Armour Advantages
Absorbs large amounts of energy
Rip Rap / Rock Armour Disadvantages
Not always same lithology as surrounding area- unnatural
Groynes Advantages
Not too expensive
Works with natural processes
Increases tourist potential
Groynes Disadvantages
Unnatural
Unattractive
Starves beaches downwind, increasing erosion
Cliff Fixing
Iron bars in cliff face
Stabilises it
Absorbs wave energy
Cliff Fixing Advantages
Prevents mass movement
Hidden structure, natural appearance
Cliff Fixing Disadvantages
Cliff still eroded overtime
Gabions Advantages
Decreases erosion at foot of cliff
Relatively cheap to install
Can use local beach material to decrease visual impact
Gabions Disadvantages
Unnatural
Risk of injury if mesh breaks
Ongoing maintenance costs
Short lifespan compared to other strategies
Revetments
Sloping wood, concrete, or rock structures
Absorb wave energy
Revetments Advantages
Relatively cheap
Revetments Disadvantages
Intrusive and unnatural
High maintenance levels
Barrages Advantages
Hydroelectric Power
Keeps water levels constant
Barrages Disadvantages
Impacts habitats and wildlife
Offshore Reefs
Man made
Causes waves to break early
Creates calmer water near shore
Offshore Reef Advantages
New habitats
Involves natural processes
Offshore Reef Disadvantages
Destroyed in heavy storms
May contaminate local water
Regular replenishment if eroded swiftly
Overall conclusions about Hard Engineering
Long lasting and effective over planned lifespan
Expensive to build and maintain
Impact other coastal areas
Eyesore, spoils landscape and habitats
Beach Nourishment Advantages
Relatively cheap
Easy to maintain
Natural looking
Increases tourism as larger beach
Beach Nourishment Disadvantages
Constant maintenance due to LSD
Dune Regeneration Advantages
Maintains coastal environment
Relatively cheap and sustainable
Important habitats
Dune Regeneration Disadvantages
Time consuming to plant
People negatively respond to being kept off dunes
Managed Retreat Advantages
Development of beaches and salt marshes
Low cost for low land value
Managed Retreat Disadvantages
Compensation for farmland
Habitat loss
Land Use Management Advantages
Only low value land eroded
Land Use Management Disadvantages
Potential loss of tourism
Do Nothing Advantages
Natural
Fairly cheap
Sediment moves downwind, benefits other areas
Do Nothing Disadvantages
Compensation
Habitat loss
Overall conclusions for Soft Engineering
Works with the environment
More sustainable
Arguably less effective
Shoreline Management Key Points
22 in UK, roughly align with cells
Long term management
Live documents- reviewed and updated
Research for future strategy development
Policy and agenda for coastal defence management
Integrated Coastal Zone Management Key Points
Can adapt to change- closely monitored
CBA- economically viable
Constant information collection- continually improved
‘Live’ sheets, improvements logged for future reference
Cycle for Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Planning (CBA)
Decision Making (stakeholders consulted)
Manage, Monitor, Implement
Information Collection (improve)
When was Integrated Coastal Zone Management created?
1982 Earth Summit
Main focus of Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Community involvement