Dealing with erosion along the Danube Delta coast. The CONSCIENCE experience towards a sustainable coastline management

Abstract

The most severe shoreline retreat (over 20 m/year) along the Danube Delta coast has been recorded in the coastal stretch confined by the Sulina branch (north) and Sahalin spit island (south). This erosive trend is caused by the natural evolution of some stretches of the Danube Delta coast, but strongly enhanced by the human activities. Human interventions result in the dramatic decrease in quantity of sediments reaching the coast and in the disruption of natural sediment circulation in the coastal area. EUROSION FP5 Project developed four concepts to be used in coastal studies: coastal sediment cell, coastal resilience, favourable sediment status and strategic sediment reservoir. The main objectives of this study regard the application of the CONSCIENCE methodology and test of the concepts in order to identify and understand the main threats for Sulina – Sahalin littoral cell, especially the coastal erosion one, as well as to provide a sound working methodology for coastal managers to deal with these threats. The sediment budget computed in previous studies, as well as the field observations, indicate a lack of sediments for the littoral cell (unfavourable sediment status). In order to asses the vulnerability of the coast to short term extreme events (especially storms), simulations of water level changes were performed and calibrated with the field observations. A processes based numerical model was used to simulate the storm induced water level variations and the main input data were the bathymetry of the active beach, wind direction and speed (storm scenarios) and the characteristics of water and air. The results show large water level increases for the central part of the study zone, especially for northern wind directions. The main solution proposed to deal the problems arising from a sediment-starved coast, vulnerable to the extreme events, is artificial nourishment. Two strategic sediment reservoirs were identified, both of them at the northern boundary of the cell: the sediments dredged periodically from Sulina mouth and the sediments accumulated in Musura Bay, just north of Sulina jetties. The transfer of these sediments towards the central part of the littoral cell Sulina – Sahalin would decrease the erosion rates to a natural level and restore the natural coastal resilience. The methodology developed in CONSCIENCE Framework and applied to Danube Delta coastal zone provided good results when problems and solutions for the coastal zone were to be identified and tested. This methodology and its related results can be applied by the local coastal managers to Sulina – Sahalin littoral cell, while this experience can be extended to other similar environments facing the same problems.