Spits

• What is our spit example

  Spurn Head on the Holderness Coast
• What is the initial longshore drift

  • Longshore drift moves sediment down the coast in the direction of the prevailing wind- from the north
  • the sediment moves south
• What is the impact of the estuary

  • Energy in waves transporting material reduces where the north sea meets Humber estuary, material is deposited
  • Due to the flowing water of the Humber estuary the spit will not extend all the way
• What is the landform behind the spit

  • Formation of salt marshes and mud flats
  • Spit creates an area of slack water behind. This slow moving water causes the formation of salt marshes and mudflows
• What are the inputs of sediment and energy

  Wind and waves:

  • prevailing wind from north east, creating strong, erosive waves

  Tides:

  • tidal range at Spurn Head is relatively large, typically ranging from 5 to 7m
  • mesotidal range

  Sediment:

  • sediment is inputted through longshore drift the flow of water into the sea at the estuary is stronger than the drift forcing sediment to be deposited
• What are the outputs of sediment and energy

  • High energy waves can erode the outer edges of the spit, causing sediment to be carried away
  • sediment is lost from a system when water becomes too deep or when material is removed faster than it's deposited
• What are the stores of sediment

  • Deposition dropped sediment due to lack of energy so sand & small rock fragments dropped