Assessment and adaptation to climate change and sea level rise impacts on Egypt’s northern coasts

Abstract

Climate change and sea level rise (SLR) represent many challenges for coastal areas such as coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion (SWI). This study aims to highlight the effect of climate change and SLR on Egypt’s northern coasts and present appropriate adaptations. A number of techniques for adapting with climate change and SLR have been presented. Two numerical models have been used for simulation PLAXIS and 2D-FEST. The results showed that SLR will affect a number of cities on Egypt’s northern coasts and the Nile Delta aquifer will be affected by SWI. A number of scenarios have been applied to adapt with climate change and SLR. Precast Diaphragm Wall (PDW) is used to protect Egypt’s northern coasts from SLR. The results showed that PDW is applicable and cost efficient. The cost of building PDW along the north coasts is about 1.0% of the likely losses due to SLR in 2100. However, to control SWI into the Nile Delta aquifer a number of measures have been presented and discussed. The results revealed that using treated wastewater to increase the recharge to the Nile Delta aquifer combined with decreasing the abstraction from the aquifer could help in protecting the aquifer from probable SLR.