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A guide to preparing for the SDME
Leventhorpe Geography Department
The SDME exam is 24th May 2016, Afternoon Session
THE EXAM
The exam itself will be broken down into three distinct sections in the same way as your mock
exam was. Remember to review your mock paper as part of your preparation for the exam and
see what kind of questions you struggled to get the focus right on, and how you can improve
such answers.
The three sections will be titled as follows:
Section A: The Background
…is likely to be data response style questions, literally asking you to use information from the
resource booklet to give specific answers.
Section B: The Options
May ask you to give some pros and cons of the management schemes or options you have been
asked to evaluate. It will require you to use your own knowledge AS WELL as quoting ideas from
the resource booklet. You may have to see things from various people’s point of view
(STAKEHOLDERS) as well as giving your own ideas.
Section C: The Decision
You could be asked to do a variety of things here. The key is to ensure that you cover all the
bullet points in your answer. You may be asked to explain why you think one option is best, how
sustainable it is, and also recognise that it will have some negatives. You could be asked to
choose two options and explain why you think they would work well alongside one another.
You may have to explain WHY you did not choose some of the other options even though they
will have some positives too.
In these answers you should try to refer to sustainability as well as to more topic specific and
location specific information, pros and cons you have identified etc., and again from your own
knowledge as well as what is in the resource booklet.
You MUST remember to look at the marks available, the space available, and consider whether
the answer you have written really is worth 4, 6 or 8 marks, be honest with yourself, and
always be ready to add more at the end of the exam if you have any gaps and time to run back
through them. You must earn your marks, push yourself to do as much as you can, don’t just
give a basic answer and move on.
Rivers & Coasts: What you need to know
I can explain what these terms mean
Hydrological cycle River Basin Managed Retreat
Erosion River System Sea Level Rise
Deposition River transport Coastal sediment cell
Storm Hydrograph Flood plain Storm Surge
Infiltration Levees Geology
Lag-time GIS Concordant / Discordant
Flash flood Hard Engineering Rate of erosion
River discharge Soft Engineering Stakeholders
Landforms Fluvial / Coastal Ecosystems Conflict Matrix
Sustainability – what you need to know. For the last question you will usually be asked to consider what makes one option more sustainable than another. Your answer should include a general description of what sustainability means in this context and should state what criteria you would use to measure the sustainability of the different options you are given.
The most widely used definition of sustainability is
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs".
That means: A solution is able to solve problems, but doesn’t cause long-term knock on effects
that are negative. Future generations can still benefit, or make their own decisions.
At this level you will also be expected to be able to refer to sustainability in terms of
economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Social sustainability is about meeting the needs of people. Things like ensuring access to healthcare, education, housing, an adequate diet and clean drinking water.
Economic sustainability looks at how wealth is generated for a country as a whole and for the people who live there. The creation of jobs allows people to improve their lifestyles and in the most severe cases, free them from poverty.
Environmental sustainability looks at the way in which natural resources are used, the extent to which pollution is controlled and waste is managed so as to minimise the impact on the environment.
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For example, if these are the bullet instructions, in your answer you should:
State your chosen option
Explain why you think your chosen option is more sustainable than each of the other options
Explain any disadvantages of your chosen option
Give one possible advantage of each of your rejected options.
Why Your choice is Sustainable Any Disadvantages Advantages of rejected options
SP&G
Level 4 13–16 marks
Well-developed reasons given as to why chosen option is more sustainable than each of the other options with a clear understanding of the term
Well-developed reasons given for disadvantages of chosen option
Well-developed reasons given for advantage of each of the rejected options
Written work is legible and spelling, grammar and punctuation are very accurate and meaning very clearly communicated. Good use of geographical terminology.
Level 3 9–12
marks
Developed reason(s) given as to why chosen option is more sustainable than each of the other options with understanding of the term shown
Developed reason(s) given for disadvantages of chosen option
Developed reason given for advantage of each of the rejected options
Written work is legible and spelling, grammar and punctuation are accurate. Meaning is communicated clearly. Use of appropriate geographical terminology.
Level 2 5–8
marks
Mention made why chosen option is more sustainable than the other options but with limited understanding of the term
One or two simple reasons given for disadvantage of chosen option
Simple reason given as advantage of each of rejected options
Work is legible and spelling, grammar and punctuation are mostly accurate. Meaning is communicated with limited clarity.
Level 1 1–4
marks
Limited reference made to why chosen option is more sustainable than other options
Disadvantage of chosen option covered in a limited way
Advantage of rejected options covered in a limited way
Written work contains mistakes in spelling, grammar and punctuation, which sometimes hinder communication
Resource 1a – a Map of the Thames Drainage Basin
RESOURE 1b Characteristics of Two Storm events passing over the River Thames Basin
Storm A Steady rainfall over 8 hours, a break of 3 hours across the region and then a very heavy 1 hour 25 minute downpour moving across from the area to the North of Swindon and Oxford.
Storm B
Moderate to heavy rainfall lasting four hours, then a period of intermittent showers lasting throughout the next 24 hours. The storm that entered the river basin from the East along the Thames Estuary, passing over Harlow and towards Stevenage.
Resource 2 – Storm Surges
Resource 3 – Sites for potential housing developments in the Thames Gateway region
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RESOURCE 5 – Various opinions about house building development in the Thames Gateway
Region
BRICKLAYER
To be honest I’ll be glad of the work. A major building programme such as this
secures jobs like mine for the next decade or more. It means I can buy my
own home and treat my kids to a nice holiday. It’s expensive living in the
South East on low wages so anything that makes the cost of housing cheaper
has got to be a good thing, know what I mean?
SCHOOLTEACHER
Building houses is fine but to me it seems like they aren’t looking at the other
services that will be needed in the area. There is poor public transport and the
schools and other public services are not being invested in to cope with so
many extra residents in the local area, so at the moment I’m opposed to the
Thames Gateway housing scheme.
BARKING & ILFORD COUNCILLOR
We should be investing in brownfield sites within Greater London and around
the edges of the city rather than creating more commuter journeys of up to an
hour into central London from Southend. Brownfield sites allow for urban
regeneration of old industrial, docklands and factory areas that at the moment
are a blight on the East of London.
CLIMATE CHANGE SCIENTIST
River estuaries and low lying coastlines are a bad place to build major new
housing and business developments. Whilst floods today are occasional
problems, in the next century sea level rise and warmer seas will lead to more
frequent heavy rain and storm surges that will create risk to properties in the
Thames Gateway region.
THAMES BARRIER ENGINEER
No, we don’t need a new one. It works perfectly well and it will continue to work perfectly well provided it is maintained. So far the loading [water pressure] on the gates have not exceeded 50 per cent of capacity. There is plenty of life left in it. Some of the loudest calls for replacement come from construction firms hoping to make millions from the project.
SOUTHEND RESIDENT
There is a good retirement community at Southend. We don’t need lots more
people moving into the area only to commute back to London. They’ll just create
traffic congestion, push up house prices and cause our community to break
down more. Protect London from floods and build the houses there where the
jobs are.
THE ISSUE: GATEWAY TO DISASTER?
Is the risk of flooding in the Thames Gateway Region an obstacle to
building new houses?
Section A: The Background
Use Resource 1a and 1b
Explain which of the two storm systems is likely to cause the more
significant flood event across the Thames Basin. [6]
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Section B: The Options
Use Resources 2 and 3
Explain how a storm surge could cause threats to life and property in the
Thames Gateway region. [6]
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Section B: The Options
Use Resource 5
Building large scale developments often causes conflict amongst different
groups of people. Using examples, explain why people disagree over the
issue of housing developments in the Thames Gateway region. [8]
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Section C: The Decision
Use all of the available resources, and your own knowledge to answer.
The South East of England has a housing shortage, it is a successful area economically
and people are drawn to the area for work. Housing prices have gone up and people find
it difficult to buy their first home. People are often having to live a long way from London
and commute in order to balance their costs of living. The government has recognised
that there is a need to provide more housing in the South East, and the Thames
Gateway region has plenty of available space and is close to London. However, there
are concerns about both fluvial and tidal flooding from the River Thames Basin and storm
surge floods from low pressure weather systems coming in from the North Sea.
Task
Submit a report to the Homes and Communities Minister outlining your
recommendations for provision of homes in the South East.
Ensure you include
- Which of the four options you recommend most
- Why this is the most sustainable option
- Any disadvantages of your chosen option
- One possible advantage of each of the options you rejected
[16]
The options
Option 1
Government subsidies for new affordable apartment buildings totalling 9,000 homes in East London on six brownfield sites. Maintenance of existing Thames, Roding and Lea flood barriers and embankments.
Option 2
A New Town development of 60,000 homes at two sites – Tilbury East in Essex and Higham in Kent. Privately financed construction, with a government commitment to build a new Thames Barrier downstream by 2040 at a cost of £12 billion.
Option 3
Small scale private housing developments across London with assured flood defences for each estate / apartments paid for by construction companies. Uncertain final numbers but estimate 5,000 – 15,000 homes depending on the health of the UK economy.
Option 4
Disallow new homes in the Thames Gateway region and encourage companies to locate in other parts of the country to balance the economy of different regions. No cost for homebuilding but could impact London’s economy and prevent creation of around 7,000 – 10,000 jobs.
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THE ISSUE: GATEWAY TO DISASTER?
Is the risk of flooding in the Thames Gateway Region an obstacle to
building new houses?
Section A: The Background
Use Resource 1a and 1b
Explain which of the two storm systems is likely to cause the more
significant flood event across the Thames Basin. [6]
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Section B: The Options
Use Resources 2 and 3
Storm surges push seawater towards the coast and up river valleys. Explain
how a storm surge could cause threats to life and property in the Thames
Gateway region. [6]
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Section B: The Options
Use Resource 5
Building large scale developments often causes conflict amongst different
groups of people. Choose three of the people shown in the resource and
explain whether they would support or oppose housing in the Gateway
region. [6]
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Section C: The Decision
Use all of the available resources, and your own knowledge to answer.
The South East of England has a housing shortage, it is a successful area economically
and people are drawn to the area for work. Housing prices have gone up and people find
it difficult to buy their first home. People are often having to live a long way from London
and commute in order to balance their costs of living. The government has recognised
that there is a need to provide more housing in the South East, and the Thames
Gateway region has plenty of available space and is close to London.
Choose one option you think is the best for the Thames Gateway Region
Chosen Option ………………………………………………..
(a) Explain the advantages of this option for people in the South East of
England [4]
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The options
Option 1
Government subsidies for new apartment buildings totalling 9,000 homes in East London on six brownfield sites. Maintenance of existing Thames, Roding and Lea flood barriers and embankments.
Option 2
A New Town development of 60,000 homes at two sites – Tilbury East in Essex and Higham in Kent. Privately financed construction, with a government commitment to build a new Thames Barrier downstream by 2040 at a cost of £12 billion.
Option 3
Small scale private housing developments across London with assured flood defences for each estate / apartments paid for by construction companies. Uncertain final numbers but estimate 5,000 – 15,000 depending on the health of the UK economy.
Option 4
Disallow new homes in the Thames Gateway region and encourage companies to locate in other parts of the country to balance the economy of different regions. No cost for homebuilding but could impact London’s economy and prevent creation of around 7,000 – 10,000 jobs.
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(b) Explain how your chosen option is economically sustainable [3]
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(c) For two of the rejected options, explain why they are not socially or
environmentally sustainable [5]
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(d) For one of the rejected options, outline any advantages it has [4]
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Use this table to help you break down the resources in the booklet, really digging into what they show.
In the exam, you should spend your first 15 minutes doing this in your head or on a rough notes page before beginning to answer the questions.
Resource What does it show What issues does it suggest may be important to making decisions about river / coast erosion or flooding?
What questions do you need to ask?
KEYWORD BINGO – Choose 14 numbers to put in the grid
KEYWORD BINGO – Choose 14 numbers to put in the grid
Hydrological cycle
1 River Basin 10 Managed Retreat 19
Erosion 2 River System 11 Sea Level Rise 20
Deposition 3 River transport 12 Coastal sediment cell
21
Storm Hydrograph
4 Flood plain 13 Storm Surge 22
Infiltration 5 Levees 14 Geology 23
Lag-time 6 GIS 15 Concordant / Discordant
24
Flash flood 7 Hard Engineering 16 Rate of erosion 25
River discharge 8 Soft Engineering 17 Stakeholders 26
Landforms 9 Fluvial / Coastal Ecosystems
18 Conflict Matrix 27
FREE SQUARE
FREE SQUARE
Hydrological cycle
1 River Basin 10 Managed Retreat 19
Erosion 2 River System 11 Sea Level Rise 20
Deposition 3 River transport 12 Coastal sediment cell
21
Storm Hydrograph
4 Flood plain 13 Storm Surge 22
Infiltration 5 Levees 14 Geology 23
Lag-time 6 GIS 15 Concordant / Discordant
24
Flash flood 7 Hard Engineering 16 Rate of erosion 25
River discharge 8 Soft Engineering 17 Stakeholders 26
Landforms 9 Fluvial / Coastal Ecosystems
18 Conflict Matrix 27
FREE SQUARE
FREE SQUARE
Resource 6
Thames Barrier closures
The Thames Barrier has been closed 176 times since it became operational in 1982 (correct as of February 2016). Of these closures, 89 were to protect against tidal flooding and 87 were to alleviate river flooding.
Year Tidal
Closure
River
Flow
Closure
Year Tidal
Closure
River Flow
Closure
1983 1 0 2000 6 4
1984 0 0 2001 11 4
1985 0 1 2002 2 2
1986 0 0 2003 8 11
1987 1 0 2004 2 0
1988 1 0 2005 5 0
1989 0 0 2006 1 0
1990 3 3 2007 11 0
1991 0 0 2008 3 0
1992 1 0 2009 1 4
1993 5 4 2010 2 3
1994 1 0 2011 0 0
1995 3 2 2012 0 3
1996 4 0 2013 2 2
1997 0 0 2014 7 41
1998 3 0 2015 1 0
1999 3 3 TOTAL 89 87
Source: Environment Agency
