Coastal erosion is when the land at the coast gets worn away by the sea.

Past refers to coastal erosion which has already happened – this could be in the last few hours or days, or it could be many years ago.

Material like rocks and sand can be broken down or carried away by the sea. This is caused by waves, currents, tides and wind – or a combination of them. Other factors, including built structures at the coast, can also make coastal erosion worse.

It is only ever seen at the coast. Coastal erosion can look very different at one part of the coast compared to another part of the coast.

Examples of what coastal erosion can look like include:

• Cliffs breaking and collapsing into the sea or onto the beach below.
• Beaches getting narrower or lower as sand is carried away.
• Roads or buildings or street furniture falling onto the beach.
• Exposed cables or pipes which were previously buried or not visible.
• Clumps of grass or other vegetation falling onto the beach below.
• Exposed roots or rocks where there was previously soil or sand.
• Steep edges of bare soil or sand where there was previously grass or vegetation or a gentle slope.

Coastal erosion can lead to the loss of land and anything located on, or in, that land. This may include built structures like homes and roads, but it can also include the loss of agricultural land or important habitats for plants and animals. In some cases, historical structures that have been there for hundreds or thousands of years may also be lost.

This can vary from one part of the coast to another. Coastal erosion at sandy coasts can happen very quickly, with one storm being enough to cause a lot of damage. At hard cliffs, there can be no coastal erosion at all for many years.

It can also vary from one year to the next at the same part of the coast.

There are a variety of surveys undertaken and monitoring carried out to help identify where coastal erosion is happening or has happened. Where this presents a significant risk, the cause of this erosion can then be assessed, together with what could or should be done to manage it. This may include relying on natural coastal defences or building manmade coastal defences.

A natural coastal defence is a term that refers to a part of the coast which exists naturally, or has not been built, and helps reduce coastal erosion, coastal flooding, or both.

Most of the coast in Ireland is natural and not manmade. Rocky cliffs, wide beaches, sand dunes, saltmarsh, and mudflats are all examples of natural coastal defences which can be very good at protecting against coastal erosion.

A manmade coastal defence is a term that refers to a built structure designed to reduce coastal erosion, coastal flooding, or both. They are usually seen in areas where there is something of value near the coast that is being protected.

The most common types of manmade coastal defence are walls made out of concrete or sloped structures made out of rock or concrete. Other types of manmade coastal defence do exist but are less common.

You can report any coastal erosion event that has occurred in the near or distant past you can report it on the Past Coastal Erosion Database. You cannot report coastal erosion that you think might happen in the future.

You will need to create an account on the OPW’s Past Coastal Erosion Database which will require an email address.

After you have created an account on the Past Coastal Erosion Database go to the user profile section and click/tap on the “Add New Report” button.

The OPW online reporting form requires users to provide information on the location of the coastal erosion event, when the coastal erosion occurred and if this was a one-off event or if it happens regularly. Various other information about the coastal erosion event can also be provided.

If the question is in red font, an answer is required. However in some cases you can select “Unknown” or “N/A” from the list of acceptable answers.

If the question is in black text, an answer is not required and you can leave it blank.

Yes. Section 4 of the reporting form will allow you to attach photographs and other information.

If you go to the User Profile section from your homepage, all of your submitted reports are shown on the map and in the table. You can search by the submission date, view the repot, and check the status of the report. The status of all reports will be “Awaiting Review” when it is first submitted.

After you submit your report in the database the report will be sent to the OPW’s Coastal team to validate the information. A member of the OPW Coastal team will then review your report. In some cases the OPW may contact you to request further information or clarification as part of the review.

Once a report has been validated, the OPW Coastal team will create a “Past Coastal Erosion Event” using the information provided in the report. This will appear on the Past Coastal Erosion Database and your report will be linked to that Past Coastal Erosion Event. Multiple reports can be added to the same Past Coastal Erosion Event.

If two or more users report the same coastal erosion, the reports will all be linked to a single Past Coastal Erosion Event in the Past Coastal Erosion Database.

The information in the Past Coastal Erosion Database will be used to monitor coastal erosion in Ireland. It is really important information to help understand which areas are affected by coastal erosion and why. We will use this information together with other information like coastal erosion hazard mapping to help identify areas at risk of coastal erosion.

Yes. Any Past Coastal Erosion Report that has been validated by the OPW will appear on the Past Coastal Erosion Database.

The OPW only collect personal data if a user registers on the Past Coastal Erosion Database. To register, you will be asked to provide your name, email address, and organisation. For further information on how the OPW processes personal data and your data subject rights, please see our Data Protection Privacy Statement.