coastal erosion and flooding

Happisburgh, UK – Coastal Erosion

Causes:

• Rapid erosion of soft sandstone cliffs due to wave action (around 2 meters per year)

Impacts:

• Loss of homes and property
• Forced migration of residents
• Damage to local economy and infrastructure

Sustainable Management:

• Soft Engineering:
  • Managed retreat – allowing natural erosion in some areas, with compensation for residents
  • Construction restrictions – preventing building too close to cliffs
• Hard Engineering:
  • Groynes – built in selected areas to slow longshore drift and reduce erosion

Maldives – Coastal Flooding and Sea Level Rise

Causes:

• Sea level rise due to climate change
• 80% of land is less than 1 meter above sea level

Impacts:

• Saltwater contamination of freshwater
• Coastal erosion and flooding
• Loss of land and displacement of communities
• Economic damage to tourism and fishing

Sustainable Management:

• Hard Engineering:
  • Seawalls and sandbag defenses protect vulnerable coastlines
• Soft Engineering:
  • Artificial island (Hulhumalé) created to house displaced residents
  • International cooperation to reduce carbon emissions and secure climate funding

river flooding

Mississippi River, USA

Causes:

• Heavy rainfall and snowmelt
• River engineering (levees and dams) can worsen downstream flooding

Impacts:

• Widespread property damage
• Displacement of thousands of people
• Destruction of farmland and urban infrastructure
• Environmental degradation of floodplains

Sustainable Management:

• Hard Engineering:
  • Strengthening and raising levees
• Soft Engineering:
  • Floodplain restoration – allowing natural flooding in certain areas to reduce pressure downstream
  • Improved forecasting systems – early warning for at-risk communities

Three Gorges Dam, China – Flood Control

Causes:

• Seasonal flooding of the Yangtze River

Impacts:

• Displacement of 1.3 million people
• Risk of landslides and earthquakes due to pressure from reservoir
• Loss of biodiversity

Sustainable Management:

• Hard Engineering:
  • Three Gorges Dam built to store water and control river flow
• Additional Measures:
  • Improved relocation programs for displaced populations
  • Monitoring of geological risks
  • Policies promoting more sustainable hydroelectric management