gorleston beach views

Coastal Processes
Sediment transport in the nearshore zone (close to the beach), especially during storm conditions, is predominantly from the beach to offshore with along-shore wave energy being only 10% of the onshore-offshore Gorleston Coastal Protection Scheme - sediment transport component. A net southward along-shore drift is dominant, although localised drift reversals can occur under different wave climates. Wave driven along-shore drift occurs predominantly in the surf zone, whilst tidal currents may transport a significant amount of material offshore of the surf zone.

What happens during a storm?


During a storm large waves wash beach material offshore.





Because storms occur on a regular basis during the winter, beach levels fluctuate on a seasonal basis. 		Gorleston Coastal Protection Scheme - Gorleston Beach February 2000
gorleston beach before storm (Feb 2000) Gorleston Coastal Protection Scheme - Gorleston Beach April 2000
gorleston beach after storm (Apr 2000)


Summer wave conditions move sand onto the beach

Winter storm waves move sand offshore 		Gorleston Coastal Protection Scheme - is this still true???
At Gorleston this process is not in balance, and as a result more material is carried offshore than onto the beach. Gorleston Coastal Protection Scheme - is this still true???

Has Gorleston beach always had a problem

Following the construction of the harbour piers at Great Yarmouth, and their extension in the early 1960's less beach material was able to reach Gorleston beach from the north. Because the net sediment transport is in a southerly direction the harbour piers trap beach material.
As Gorleston beach still loses sand to the south and doesn't receive much material from the north, the beach erodes. This process is known as downdrift erosion. Similarly if too much material is trapped at Gorleston, the beach to the south will suffer from downdrift erosion.
This problem can be prevented by placing enough beach material when constructing a coastal defence structure with the objective to trap beach material.