Dawlish: coastal processes, hazards and management
Introduction
Dawlish is a small town on the south Devon coast. It’s a popular tourist location and the mainline railway from Exeter to Penzance runs along the coastline with a seaside station in Dawlish.
The town and it’s critical transport infrastructure are exposed to coastal hazards, flooding and erosion, which require careful management.
Dawlish provides an interesting case study for students to explore the changing coastal hazards due to sea level rise and climate variability, as well as learning about the shoreline management activities used to protect people, property and transport infrastructure.
Coastal scientists have carried out research at this site. They have monitored the interactive wave, water level, beach level and wind conditions that pose a hazards to this location, gathering evidence to better understand the natural processes and support the development of climate resilience plans. An example of the extreme conditions measured can be seen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ysoCnHo7u0k .
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About the Author
Simon Ross
Author / Consultant
Simon Ross is former Head of Geography and Assistant Head at Queen's College, Taunton. He is founder of Geography Southwest and is a prolific author of geography textbooks.
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