Applications of remote sensing and GIS techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of coastal structures along Burullus headland-Eastern Nile Delta, Egypt

Abstract

Burullus headland is located in the middle half of the Nile Delta Coast. It extends from Burullus inlet to the east to Kitchener drain outlet to the west. Burullus headland has several types of coastal protection structures, such as seawalls, groins, revetments, jetties, basalt riprap (rock wall), and detached breakwaters; these structures were constructed to mitigate coastal erosion. This study aims to compare rates of shoreline displacement prior to and after the construction of the aforementioned structures and to evaluate their efficiency in protecting Burullus headland from erosion during the period from 1973 to 2018. Multi-temporal satellite images and Digital Shoreline Analysis System software have been used to detect and quantify shoreline changes and to predict the shoreline position at 2030, depending on the resulted rates of shoreline displacement. The analysis showed that Burullus headland coast would be divided into four zones, according to the intensity of the erosion; these are: Zone A with accretion's rate of 0.67 m/year; Zone B, the most affected area by erosion with retreating rate of 4.32 m/year; Zone C, which includes 14 of detached breakwater, showed an accretion rate of 5.62 m/year; and finally, Zone D, which includes 9 groins, was characterized by retreating rate of 2.88 m/year. The results of this study show that some types of protection structures were not effective in mitigating coastal erosion in the case of Burullus headland. The predicted shoreline indicates continuous accretion in zone A and C and continuous erosion in zone B and D.