A Cost–Benefit Approach to Discuss Artificial Nourishments to Mitigate Coastal Erosion

Abstract

Worldwide, artificial nourishments are being considered as one of the main coastal erosion mitigation measures. However, this solution is not permanent, since the natural removal of sediments that occurs after the sand deposition leads to the need of re-nourishment projects; thus, its performance and longevity dependent on several design parameters (placement site and extension alongshore, frequency, and volume, etc.) In this work, a methodological approach for cost–benefit assessment is applied to analyze the performance of artificial nourishments from a physical and economical point of view, by analyzing the effectiveness of different scenarios. The study was developed considering two study areas: a hypothetical situation (generic study area) and a real coastal stretch (Barra-Vagueira, located in the Portuguese west coast). The findings show the complexity in defining the best nourishment option, being dependent on the wave climate, site specific conditions, and main goal of the intervention. The proposed cost–benefit approach allows one to obtain and compare the physical and economic performance of artificial nourishments to mitigate coastal erosion, aiding the decision-making processes related to coastal planning and management.