Monday 28/2: Summarising the TRESB Project

1. The problem that lead to the Tweed River Entrance Sand Bypassing project was that the process of Longshore Drift was pushing large amounts of sand into the mouth of the river, therefore blocking it and making it unsafe for civilian marine craft to navigate and use the river entrance.

2. The solution to this problem was to build breakwaters that extend out into the ocean do protect the river entrance and to disrupt the process of Longshore Drift. Also to remove the sand from the river entrance there is a dredging process that takes place however at a large cost of over $ 2 Million each year.

3. The result of the project has been largely successful, in fact it has been named as one of the most successful coastal management strategies implemented on the east coast ever. It has eliminated a large amount of sand from the mouth of the river and it is now and continuously safe to use for marine craft.  The beaches above and below the breakwaters were affected.

Big Wave Profile - Ghost Tree

Design a blog post on your blog of a big wave site from different parts of the world. Be sure to describe the geography and the topography of the ocean floor in these areas and how this helps create these massive waves. check out http://www.extremehorizon.com/surf-shop/big_waves.html for big waves around the world.

Ghost Trees

 Ghost Trees is a world famous big wave surfing location, off the coast of Pebble Beach, California. Many people say that it is scarier and larger than nearby big wave spot, Mavericks, and that it is heavier than the notorious Waimea Bay.

The waves at Ghost Trees can reach over 70 feet high (22m) and have tubes that extend over 120 yards (110m) and are as long as an American Football field. On December 4th, 2007 this now infamous surf spot claimed the life of local surfer, Peter Davi, who drowned after crashing out of a large wave.

These waves form almost just like Mavericks, which is located about 100 miles to the north. The waves form thousands of kilometers away in Alaska, and travel to Ghost Trees, breaking over an extended reef and black rock, which forms the incredibly large waves.

The Science of Big Waves - Classwork

Pre-Viewing:

1. Where do Ocean Waves come from? What gets them started?

Ocean waves generally come from deep out at sea where the wind blows the water, which creates a swell which will then create the waves.

2.What do you think a surfer should know about waves before they try and ride a wave while surfing?
I think a surfer should know how waves work and when and where they will break. They should also be aware of the dangers from the wave.



Questions for the Video:

1. Observe all the waves that you see and describe how they form and break. Use as many words found in the segment for you descriptions. The waves that I viewed in the video are very large. They usually break when they are over 10 feet high and they form a large tube as the wave breaks.
2. Describe how waves are formed, how they originate, and how they are measured? Waves can form, especially the maverick waves, over thousands of kilometers away. The surge of energy travels under the water which powers the wave. This energy is generally created by winds blowing on the water, pushing the water in a direction and therefore making the energy of the wave. Waves are measured usually in Periods, wave height and wave length.
3. What is a maverick wave and what is special about the way it is formed? These waves only happen when the conditions are right. They are formed in the Wave Factory, around the Gulf of Alaska. Wind pushes energy into the Ocean, and the waves form and travel thousands of kilometers to the coast of Northern California.  They are formed in a special way where the wave hits the rocks at the tip of the reef, slowing the wave,  and the converging waves break on the shore after the energy has been concentrated on one point.
4. How is energy stored and transferred during wave? Energy is stored in the bottom of the wave, where the energy twirls the water and then transfers it along, allowing the wave to travel thousands of kilometers.
5. List any kind of advice given by the surfers about how to survive these “big waves.” The big wave surfers know the general physics of the waves and how they operate. They also know that the wave gets a whole lot bigger just before it breaks. They are very cautious and don't surf the wave unless they are fully confident they can handle the extreme force and pressure of the wave. They are also aware of the dangers of the wave, and that severe injury or death can occur.

7.5 Coastal Management on the Gold Coast

Refer to the topographic map and aerial photograph on pages 164 and 165 to answer the following questions.

---

* Required

7 Express the scale of the map as a statement: One centimetre on the map represents kilometres on the ground.  

250 meters on the Ground.

8 What is the contour interval of the map?  

The Contour interval of the map is 10 Meters.

9 Calculate the following:

a the width of the mouth of the Tweed River  

210m

b the length of the breakwater on the southern side of the Tweed River  

3750m

c the length of the jetty extending into the ocean from the sand pumping station in AR 5483 

250m 

d the distance along the beach from the lookout at Greenmount Hill to the Rainbow Bay surf club  

500m

e the time it would take you to walk along the beach from the Rainbow Bay surf club to the Coolangatta Beach surf club if you were walking at a speed of 5 kilometres per hour.  

It would take 12.5 Minutes walking at 5 Kilometers per hour.

10 Which is higher, the lighthouse at Point Danger or the lookout on Kirra Hill?  

The lighthouse at Point Danger is higher than the lookout on Kirra Hill.

11 What is the aspect of the slope where the electricity substation is located in AR 5283?  

It is a slightly uphill slope.

12 What is the approximate height of the small electricity substation in AR 5283?  

It is approximately 8 to 10 Meters ASL.

13 Name the human features located at the following grid references:

a 532824  : Island Drive

b 536823 : A bridge on Island Drive

c 541844 : Point Danger Lighthouse

d 513834 : The Border Park Raceway and the Pacific Highway

e 528819 : The Caravan Park

f 532828 : Wharfs and Houses on River TCE

14 Name the natural features located at the following grid references:

a 524818 : Boyd's Island

b 537822 : Terranora Inlet

c 514844 : Kirra Beach

d 521833 : Mount Murraba

e 544817 : Sandy Island

f 544839 : North Head

15 Refer to 7.24 and the topographic map. Give the grid reference of the lookout that the photographer was standing at when the photograph was taken.  

GR535844

16 What is the density of buildings in AR 5483?  

There are almost no buildings in this Area Reference as it is a Sand Dredging Site.

17 Which area has the greatest density of buildings per square kilometre—AR 5281 or 5282? Give a reason for your answer.  

Area Reference 5282 has a greater density of buildings because there are a lot more buildings in the area than AR 5281 since almost half of AR 5281 is the Terranora Creek.

18 Estimate the bearing of the following features from the water tank on the top of Mount Murraba:

a the groyne at Kirra Point 

20 Degrees

b the mouth of the Tweed River  

80 Degrees

c Boyds Island  

175 Degrees

d Snapper Rocks *

45 Degrees.

7.3 Geographical Processes Shaping the Coastal Environment

 

Tombolo

Coastal Lagoon

Sea Cave

Headland & Sea Stacks

Blow Hole

Sand Spit

Sand Dunes

Offshore Sand Bar

Natural Bridge

Wave Cut Platform

Longshore Drift

7.2 Waves - Water on the Move

 

 

Coastal Management Questions 7.1

Questions 1-6

1. Describe how the settlement pattern of Australia is related to issues in the coastal environment?

The Settlement pattern of  Australia is very much related to issues in the coastal environment because over 85% of the country's population is located within 50km of the coast. The majority of this population is also urban development, so many issues arise around the coast from this development, and the large population size that are located on, or near the beaches and coast.

2. Why is the sustainable development of the coastline the aim of coastal management strategies?  

Sustainable development is the aim of coastal management strategies because it is designed to sustain the coastal environment and condition, so not much changes and no work must be done. This well help preserve the natural environment around the coastal areas which will reduce the amount of corrosion and erosion on the coast.

3. What trend has been labeled "Sea Change"?

Sea Change  is an Australian term which describes a form of migration that involves individuals abandoning city and urban living in favour of a perceived 'easier life' in rural coastal communities.

4. Describe one government response to 'sea change'.

Coastal councils from around Australia formed the National Sea Change Taskforce in 2004 to seek ways to ensure sustainable development in their communities. As at 2008 there are 68 member councils from around Australia collectively representing more than four million residents.

5. Select four of the geographical issues facing the coastal environment presented in this unit. For each issue identify the human actions that cause the issue.

1. Erosion - Human's Can pollute the ocean with acidic and toxic chemicals such as sewage.
2. Destruction of Dunes - Humans walk through delicate dune areas, causing severe damage to them.
3. Corrosion - The wake from boats and ferries traveling through waterways can corrode rock quicker than normal.
4. Beach Nourishment - Beaches have to have sand put on them because of the threat to human development on the foreshore.

6. What role do geographers play in developing management solutions to issues in coastal environments?

Geographers play large parts in developing management solutions to issues because they can provide the evidence of an issue and can provide assistance and advice to the Government of the local councils to help solve the issue.

7.

 

Dear Editor,

My name is James Geldens and I am a resident in the newly constructed development shown in the picture above. I would like to write to you to comment on the very good advantages that this development has provided, contrary to public belief. Firstly, it is located in a quiet part of the town and is very close to shops and educational institutions. It is certainly one of the most relaxing places I have ever lived. In the morning I can just open up my doors and sit calmly and quietly on the balcony, reading a book while enjoying the stunning ocean and marina scenery. Many people have said that this development makes the foreshore look ugly, however I must disagree with this. While it does look developed compared to the previous natural environment, I believe that it brings class and modernization to the foreshore of the town. I ask that these people look at this development as a plus for the town, and not a minus.

Kind Regards,

James Geldens