developingadecisionmakingtaskbasedoncoastalmanagement（developingadecisionmakingtaskbasedoncoastalmanagement）（5页）.docVIP

Developing a decision making task based on coastal management. Generic title: How can the problems of coastal flooding be controlled effectively? Key questions of specification: 2.1 What are the advantages and disadvantages of hard and soft engineering strategies used to manage our coasts? 3.2 What is the most sustainable way to manage our coastline in the face of rising sea levels? Contextual information for teachers: Decision making exercise based on a Shoreline Management Plan – a summary for Cardiff to Newport (Wentlooge or Wentloog) is available. A summary has been included below The land around the Severn Estuary is low lying. Sea level rise or an increase in the amount of coastal flooding could affect a large geographic area. Sea level rise is thought to pose the greatest real risk and be the most important consideration in deciding on the right policy option to manage coastal flooding and climate change. To work out which areas of the estuary would be affected by sea level rise, the change in Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) is seen as the most appropriate and has therefore been calculated to assist in policy making. Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) is the average height that the tide reaches on a Spring Tide. Spring Tides basically occur when there is a new moon or a full moon. Spring tides rise furthest up the shore at high tide and go out furthest at low tide (i.e. maximum tidal range occurs). MHWS gives the average highest level that the tides reach at high tide. As sea level rises, MHWS will rise as well, meaning that the tide will reach further and further up the shore profile and further and further in land, particularly where the land is low lying (as is found within this SMP2 area). Land which, over time, is affected by MHWS moving landwards becomes unusable without intervention for many purposes – it cannot be used for housing, commercial development, farming, etc. because it is regularly covered by the tide (approx. twice per month). S