Shoreline Erosion Control Techniques - Essay Example

There are factors, both man-made and natural that lead to erosion of the shoreline. The erosion of the shoreline might have adverse effects on the adjacent land and the fishes that inhabit these areas. (Sato & Mimura, 1997). Because of this, various techniques have been used to stabilize shorelines throughout the world, these techniques are discussed in this article as well as how the development of the coastline leads to coastline erosion.

Taking the development of the coastal regions in regards, coastal structures are the most common cause of shoreline erosion for instance ports, detached breakwaters and inlet jetties at tidal inlets and river mouths. (d’Angremond & Velden, 2001)  Ports provide safe mooring and navigation for calling vessels; however, when built along the shoreline, it interferes with littoral drift. The result is then sedimentation and shoreline impact. The port causes the trapping of sand causing sedimentation on the upstream side. (Bijker & Graff, 1982)

Structures that are meant to protect the coastline passively also at times contribute to erosion. Seawalls and revetments are constructed to stop erosion at some points; however, this stops the supply of sand into the sediment budget from this section of the shoreline. The adjacent shorelines will thus be exposed to an increase in erosion. There are appropriate procedures and measures that have been devised to counter the effect of erosion. These are soft or temporary and/or hard or permanent. (http://www.fao.org/forestry/media/13191/1/0)

Hard stabilization is an erosion control measure that employs hardened structures, which make the shoreline steadier from further erosion. Examples are groins, jetties, concrete sea walls, rip-raps, bulkheads and stone reinforcements. They are very convenient in slowing down erosion rates in high-energy environments. The drawbacks of this technique are that it leads to loss of intertidal habitat and beach, alters the water dynamics and shoreline and often exacerbates seaward erosion of hardened structures. .(answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid)

Soft or non-structural stabilization techniques are shoreline erosion control and restoration measures that use only plants or organic material to protect, enhance or restore the natural shoreline surroundings. Examples include vegetation such as marsh, dune grasses and submerged aquatic vegetation. This technique creates a natural buffer against erosion, can trap sediment thus allowing for increased vegetation growth, preserves the habitat for shallow water estuarine and intertidal organisms and most importantly, maintains the dynamics of the shoreline and features of the natural habitat. It is however not suitable for high-energy environments and routine maintenance. (answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid)

The type of technique will thus depend on a number of factors such as the rate of erosion, energy level and effect on the adjacent environment among others.