A Brief Description of
Physical Geography
The absolute location of the region is the 4,800 sq miles of
land between the border coordinates of: 51.5N-49.9N and 1.45E-4.35E. The region’s
landscape is dominated by the vast flat chalk lands of northern France. The Côte
d'Opale, or Opal Coast in English,
is one of the region’s most striking geographic features. The coast spans 75 miles north to south forming
the western border of the region. The region's substantial coastline accounts
for the region’s temperate “C” classification from the Koppen system. The Deûle
is one of the region’s largest rivers and traces its headwaters through the Lys
and Scheldt rivers north to the Belgian coast of the North Sea. The majority of
the region’s population is settled along the Deûle and coastline.
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| Photo Credit 1. The Chalk Lands of Northern France and the Nord-Pas de Calais |
The Geomorphology, or evolution of the areas’s physical
geography through physical and chemical processes, can be seen through the Opal
Coast. The coastline is comprised mostly of the biologic sedimentary rock chalk;
a form of limestone. Sedimentology, or the study of sediments, is useful in giving
us insight into the future of the coastline.
The soft structure of the chalk makes the Opal Coast susceptible to coastal
erosion.
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| Photo Credit 2. Above is the a stretch of the Opal Coast. Notice how the expansive flat chalk lands go right up to the abrupt drop offs of the cliffs along the coastline. |
Studies have shown that the shoreline of
the Opal Coast is receding at .5 inches per year. This means over 10,000 years
the coastline will suffer numerous instances of mass wasting such as rotational
slump slides that will help push the coast line in by approximately 138 yards.
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| Photo Credit 3. The above is an example of mass wasting, along the shoreline of the English Channel, only a few meters away from homes and businesses in the area. Similar instances of mass wasting in developed areas along the Opal Coast are already occurring. |
What will it be like 100,000 years from
now:
With waves acting as the primary force in coastal erosion, after
100,000 years the coastline will have moved inward more than three quarters of
a mile. The geomorphological evidence of this coastal erosion will be readily
present along the new shore line. The sandy beaches of today will have long
been submerged and sedimentary waste from cliff erosion will form new beaches.
This also means that cliff features like the Cape Blanc Nez, or Cape White
Nose, will have crumbled and become nearly flush to the rest of coastline.
.JPG) |
| Photo Credit 4. The Cape Blanc Nez, pictured above, faces an uncertain future as coastline erosion continues to reshape the Opal Coast. |
What will it be like 1,000,000 years from
now:
After the passage of 1,000,000 years the Opal Coast will
rest nearly 8 miles inland from its current location. That will mean that the coastal cities of
Dunkerque, Calais, and Boulogne will all be lost to the water. With the Cliffs of Dover receding at a
similar rate directly opposite the French shoreline, the closest point between
England and France will have increased from 21miles to just under 37 miles between Dover
and Cap Gris Nez, or Cape Grey Nose. To
put this in perspective, the almost 16 mile increase is equal to the distance
between the city center of Aurora Colorado and Lakewood Colorado traveling down
Highway 6.
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| Photo Credit 5. Calais, France is one of three large cities along the Opal Coast that would be entirely submerged after 1,000,000 years. |
When you put the span of human development along the
coastline against Geologic time, it becomes apparent that the way humans
interact with the physical geography of an area is often woefully shortsighted.
While the Nord-Pas de Calais will have lost many of its distinctive man made
and coastal features, it will have also seen the creation of many new coastal
features. If mankind is still present in the region, it will be due to the
warnings of those Geographers who encourage development further inland, and
warn against toiling against the natural processes that provoke geomorphology. The Nord-Pas de Calais will likely still be
vast, flat, and beautiful with or without mankind present.
Picture Credit:
1. http://leonstolarski.blogspot.com/2010/06/en-vacances.html
2. http://www.nstgroup.co.uk/tour/geography-in-the-opal-coast/
5. http://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calais#mediaviewer/File:Calais_vue_phare_eglise_beffroi.jpg
Research Credit:
http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/
