EARTH AND LIFE

SCIENCE
BY: ANGELI Y. DULLO, RN ,LPT
Directions: Write true if the given statement is correct about
hydrometeorological phenomena and hazards otherwise write
false.

1. Flooding may occur if you live near a river

2. A hydrometeorological phenomenon that occurs in
the North West Pacific Ocean is called a typhoon.
3. People living near a coast may experience storm
surge
4. Earthquake is an example of a hydrometeorological
phenomenon
5. Northern Luzon is most prone to typhoons.
Directions: Write true if the given statement is correct about
hydrometeorological phenomena and hazards otherwise write
false.

Hydrometeorological Phenomena and Hazards

True False
1. Flooding may occur if you live near a river -True
2. A hydrometeorological phenomenon that occurs in North
West Pacific Ocean is called a typhoon. True
3. People living near a coast may experience storm surge - True

4. Earthquake is an example of a hydrometeorological

phenomenon False
5. Northern Luzon is most prone to typhoons. False
Competency: Describe
how coastal processes
result in coastal erosion,
submersion, and
saltwater intrusion
A. Tides – The rise and fall of ocean water under
the influence of the gravitational pull of the moon
and sun creates tides. This coastal process
produce periodic change in water level in
different parts of the foreshore being exposed to
wave energy throughout the day. In regions with
large tidal ranges, the water may rise and fall 10
meters, and the shoreline may move laterally
several kilometers between high and low water.
B. Waves – Ocean waves erode and shape the
world’s coastlines because the water within the wave
moves up and down. Ocean waves will not be
produced if there is no wind. The wind that blow over
the top of the ocean create friction between the air
and water molecules, creating a frictional drag that
shows up as waves on the surface of the ocean.
When the wind blows forcefully, strong large waves
are produced.
C. Storm Surge – This hazard is also described as
coastal flood or tsunami-flood phenomenon, happens
when there is rising of the sea as a result of
atmospheric pressure variation and having wind
associated with a storm. The severity of which is
affected by the shallowness and orientation of the
water body relative to storm path, and the timing of
tides. The two main meteorological factors
contributing to storm surge are a long fetch of winds
spiraling inward toward the storm, and a low pressure-
induced dome of water drawn up under and trailing
the storm’s center.
Hazards brought by
the different Coastal
Processes
A. Coastal Erosion is the wearing away of
the land by the sea and is done by
destructive waves.
Five common processes that cause
coastal erosion:
a) Corrasion is when waves pick up
beach materials and hurl them at the
base of a cliff
b) Abrasion happens when breaking
waves containing sediment fragments
erode the shoreline, particularly
headland. It is also referred to as the
sandpaper effect.
c) Hydraulic action. The effect of waves as they hit cliff faces, the
air is compressed into cracks and is released as wave’s rushes
back seaward. The compressing and releasing of air as
wavesresses cliff faces and rushes back to sea will cause cliff
material to break away.
d) Attrition is the process when waves bump rocks and pebbles
against each other leading to the eventual breaking of the
materials.
e) Corrosion/solution involves dissolution by weak acids such as
when the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is dissolved into
water turning it into a weak acid. Several rocks (e.g., Limestone)
are vulnerable to this acidic water and will dissolve into it. The
rate of dissolution is affected by the concentration of carbonates
& other minerals in the water. As it increases, dissolution becomes
slower.
B. Sediment movement along coasts
As wave crashes on the shore, the water pushes sediment up
the beach and then pulls back down the beach as the water
slides back down. If the waves do not come in parallel to the
beach longshore transport (littoral drift) of sand occurs. When
waves approach the beach at an angle, the part of the wave
that reaches shallow water earliest slows down the most,
allowing the part of the wave that is farther offshore to catch
up. In this way the wave is refracted (bent) so that it crashes on
the shore more nearly parallel to the shore. You will never see a
wave wash up on a beach at a very high angle from the line of
the beach except perhaps at an inlet or where the shore makes
a sudden right-angle bend.
C. Coastal deposition
When waves lose their capacity to carry or transport
sediments because of a reduction in energy, they can and
will "drop" or deposit its sediment load. Waves that do not
have the capacity to transport sediments and which results
to sediment deposition and accumulation are called
constructive waves. Deposition happens when the swash (or
the waves that rushes inland) is stronger than the backwash
(waves rushing back to sea). Deposition can occur as waves
enter areas of shallow water, sheltered areas like coves or
bay, little or no wind, and there is a sufficient supply of
sediments. Emphasize that the waves lose kinetic energy to
transport the sediment load.
D. Submersion
Submersion is described when sediment is submersed under
water and eventually replaced back to its original location. This
often takes place during violent storms, when sand is dragged or
pushed underwater, and it tends to return back to the visible place
(via wave action) it had previously been when the seas have
calmed down. Submersion can temporarily submerse an island, and
create islands as well. When sea levels rise, submersion has a larger
impact, and this can be very bad for island biodiversity (trees,
plants, and animals are at risk). If the submersion of the island
becomes regular, it will be more difficult for plants to grow and
flourish, which begins a new cycle of coastal erosion and the
negative impacts that come with it, including increased erosion and
possibly permanent loss of the island, depending on how much of
an island it is.
E. Saltwater Intrusion
Saltwater intrusion is defined as the flow of seawater into
fresh water bodies like rivers or aquifers due to natural
processes or human activities. It is a major concern for most
coastal areas as it can induce contamination of water
resources and therefore drinking water, and may cause
damage to agriculture. Saltwater intrusion, through surface or
ground water sources, may diminish the availability and/or
quality of source waters for drinking water utilities and
irrigation. It is also a concern for the quality of coastal
ecosystems as it may undermine the conditions of vegetation
and therefore the stability of dunes, and may compromise
coast wetlands, therefore impacting their ecosystem services,
with implications in coastal socio-economy.
Competency:
Cite ways to prevent or
mitigate the impact of land
development, waste
disposal, and construction of
structures on control coastal
processes
Reasons why coast are modified?
1. Residential, recreation and tourism
2. shipping and transport
3. Gain more land
4. Protect beach properties
5. Preservation of cultural or historical
landmarks (e.g. forts and lighthouses)
With these modifications several impacts and effects to the
coastal process are then observed.
The following are some of the ways on how to prevent or
mitigate the impacts of land development, waste disposal,
construction on coastal processes. The way the coast is
managed can cause conflict. There are two types of coastal
management:

• Hard engineering - this involves building structures to protect

the coast.
• Soft engineering - this involves working with nature by using
natural materials or allowing nature to take back areas.
I. Hard Engineering
A. Sea Wall: Placed at the base of a cliff to reflect the wave’s energy.

B. Gabions: Cages of wire filled with rocks to absorb the wave’s energy,
they are effective and cheap but environmentally ugly.

C. Groynes: Can be made of wood or rock and are long vertical

structures placed at right angles to the beach to trap sediment. This
builds up the beach and protects the cliffs from erosion. They are
effective at building up the beach therefore protecting cliffs from wave
attack. Can result in areas further down the coast being starved of
beach material resulting in more erosion! Only last 25-30 years.

D. Rip Rap (Rock Armour): Large rocks placed at the bottom of the cliff
to absorb the wave energy, they are effective at dispersing the waves
energy and cheap. Environmentally ugly and may put off tourists.
II . Soft Engineering
A. Beach Nourishment: Large amounts of sand are added to beaches to build them up and
help absorb wave energy. This protects tourism as well as the coast and is easy to carry out and
fairly cheap. But it does not last very long as sand will continue to be transported along the
coast by long shore drift.

B. Managed Retreat: This allows the natural erosional processes of the sea to occur, areas of
low value land are allowed to flood hopefully protecting more important areas further down
the coast.

C. Cliff Stabilization: Cliffs are covered in matting and vegetation planted to help make them
more stable and resistant to erosion.

D. Do nothing: Obviously the cheapest and most environmentally friendly option! However, you
have to weigh up the COSTS (to people, tourism and buildings) against the BENEFITS
(advantages of letting the area return to its natural processes). If the costs greatly outweigh the
benefits e.g. by having to rehome many people or losing valuable tourist facilities then other
options will have to be looked at.