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topic 1 case study- North Norfolk coast - Coggle Diagram
topic 1 case study- North Norfolk coast
geomorphic processes.
the coast is exposed to powerful waves from the north- east
longshore drift operates from the east to the west, although opposing currents transport sediment southwards along the east coast.
mechanical weathering including freeze- thaw and mass movement (particularly slumping) are very active on the cliffs in the east particularly between Overstrand and Happisburgh
coastal erosion happens in the east while coastal deposition happens in the west.
how are geomorphic processes affected by geology and climate?
geology- the whole region has underlying chalk, exposed in some places such as the base of cliffs.
Cromer ridge- 100m long, it is a terminal moraine (a strip of deposition from the front of a glacier).
sands and gravels are deposited by glacial meltwater.
Till- unsorted glacial sediment forms thick deposits along much of the coast.
the glacial sediments which make up the North Norfolk coast are very weak and prone to being eroded by the sea and to mass movement.
climate- during the last glacial period a lot of ice advanced over the area causing a lot of deposition of sediments
this sediment has then been eroded from the east and transported to the west.
the climate in North Norfolk is relatively dry with warm summers and occasionally cold winters
Till dries out and cracks in the dry conditions making them vulnerable to geomorphic processes
coastal landforms
the coast lines have steep cliffs, this is due to-
weak rock (till)
cliffs exposed to powerful waves
limited beach leaving cliffs more exposed to the full force of the waves
waves undercut the cliffs leading to collapse
the north coast gets a lot of deposition, this forms spits such as at Blakeney Point, sand dunes (at Holkham) and salt marshes (at Stiffkey)
Impact of human activity
there are many villages and small towns on the coast, linked by main roads.
economical activities include farming, fishing and forestry
a lot of the area is also popular with tourists who visit the coast and landscapes, taking boat trips and hiking or cycling along lanes and paths
tourists also enjoy the varied and undamaged coastal habitats such as the salt marshes and sand dunes
coastal management
the North Norfolk coast is managed so that social, economical and environmental demands are balanced
planners and developers face challenges including- lots of coastal erosion, storm surges and sea- level change from climate change
coastal defense schemes include...
Holkham
The Holkham landowner has planted pine trees near the coast to help stabilize the sand dunes.
they have put boardwalks to prevent visitors from damaging the vegetation and wildlife
Wells-next-the-sea
At wells-next-the-sea groynes have been constructed to protect the beach huts
Gabions (metal cages filled with rocks) are used to help protect the National Coast watch Institution lookout station.
these forms of hard engineering trap sediment, by interfering with sediment transfer such measures can have a harmful knock- on effects further along the coast line where beaches can have a lack of sediment
Cromer, Sheringham and Overstrand have hard engineering measures including sea walls and rock armor (piles of massive boulders)
coastal defense schemes- particularly hard engineering have an impact on the natural processes. groynes interrupt the movement of sediment by longshore drift, and sea walls can deflect high-energy waves along the coast.
located in East Anglia, it is low lying with broad sand beaches, salt marshes, sand dunes and cliffs