Introduction
Tuesday, 19 June 2012 | 08:04 | 0 comments
For our task on geography project, the four of us, Vanesse, Mira, Hadirah and Weiye visited the East Coast Park. We learned about the coastal protection measures used there and we researched on the limitations each measures has.
The Coastal Zone
The Coastal Zone is a very important area as it houses more than 50% of the world population. It contains valuable natural resources and is used for many commercial and industrial activities such as fishing, shipping and tourism. The area is also a natural habitat to various animal species. However due to its vulnerability to natural change, shore protection is required to prevent flooding and erosion.
Introduction to coastal protection:
Coastal protection is the use of various techniques to prevent erosion and flooding at the coast.
Some of the measures that can be found in Singapore are the following: -
- Gabions (hard engineering)
- Beach nourishment (soft engineering)
- Planting of Mangroves (soft engineering)
- Stabilising Coastal Dunes (soft engineering)
- Growth of coral reefs (soft engineering)
Hard engineering refers to the construction of structures, such as seawalls, breakwaters, groynes and gabions, to protect the coast from erosion. On the other hand, soft engineering involves applying knowledge of natural processes to stabilise the coast and reduce erosion.
