Costal Erosion in Germany


    Germany has one coastline which is the coastline along the North and Baltic Seas. Germany's North Sea coastline is 3700 km long and has large portions of it which are eroding. Approximately two-thirds of Germany's coastline is suffering erosion which is causing massive problems for the country. 

    Germany's coastline is very shallow and mostly made up of marsh, dunes, and highly erosive sand. Experts have concluded that most of Germany's coastline is at risk for erosion. They have also concluded that the Baltic coast's annual coastline retreat is 40cm every year. In a specific portion of the coastline in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 70% of the coastline is retreating. This has become a devastatingly common issue for the coast and at the same time Germany, along with many other coastal countries is dealing with a 1.3mm sea level rise per year.




Fortunately, the erosion on Germany's coast has not been much of a threat to people or property yet. The country has still created efforts designed to prevent or mitigate the amount of erosion. One strategy that has been put in place is artificial structures. These structures are called beach nourishments which are designed to support erosive sand. On the coast of Sylt and the island of Fohr expansive beach nourishments have been placed to test their effectiveness. The increased demand along the Baltic Sea has created a new market for these support structures and possibly will be installed in upcoming years. 

Marshlands are also at risk and may be considered more important because of their natural ability to prevent floods. Revetments are structures that protect the edges of marshes and have become critical to support these areas. Man-made marshes have been created using these revetments in order to protect for coastline and mitigate the risk of floods. Overall Germany's coastline erosion has become a problem for the country but these protective measures provide a sense of security for the coastline and the populations that live near them. 


Sources:

https://www.climatechangepost.com/germany/coastal-erosion/

.http://www.eurosion.org/shoreline/17sylt.html

https://www.tourism.de/baltic-sea/

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