Cliff collapse, erosion and its impacts

Keywords:

Coastal

Geology

Transportation

Longshore drift

management

Retreat

Insurance companies

Compensation

Mappleton

Location

The Holderness coatline is in the North East of England in East Yorkshire. It runs between the Humber estuary in the south and a headland at Flamborough head.

• North East England
• Yorkshire

The causes of cliff collapse in the area:

• Strong prevailing winds creating longshore drift that moves material south along the coastline.
• The cliffs are made of a soft boulder clay. It will therefore erode quickly, especially when saturated. When saturated it's prone to slumping.
• Hydraulic action and abrasion are powerful processes.
• Destructive power of waves may be increasing due to slow sea level rise.
• Exposed to strong waves (fetch)
• Further up the coast, groyned have been used to stop the movement of sand southwards by longshore drift, and so the natural protection of a beach isn't avaliable.

• Geology
• Transportation
• Processes
• Sea level rise
• Exposion

Why the area needs protection:

• The village of Mappleton has approximately 50 properties
• Destroying farms
• Destroying main roads
• People are losing their homes
• The average rate of erosion is around 2m per year. (Since Roman times 4km lost and 30 villages destroyed)
• Industry at Eastington is being threatened
• Farms alongside the sea are devaluing and losing profits year on year as the cliff falls into the sea
• Many of the settlements rely heavily on tourism and if they are undefended their trade could diminish as facilities close down

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