Evaluation of using satellite image in detecting long term shoreline change along El-Arish coastal zone, Egypt

Abstract

Rapid development along El-Arish city has required new extensive coastal infrastructures such as El-Arish harbor, and El-Arish power plant. These infrastructures in deep are the main source of changing the shoreline behavior. In this study, assessment of shoreline change during forty-five year period with satellite-derived shoreline was carried out in El-Arish coastal zone using three different modules. Confidence level for the satellite-derived shoreline was defined based on the deviation between simultaneous in situ shoreline measurements and abstracted satellite shoreline. The assessment of the introduced modules shows the importance of exploring shoreline change using image-processing analysis and demonstrates their applicability at similar locations.NDWI module gives an accurate shoreline in El-Arish beach 90% of its error doesn’t exceed 25 m. So it was applied to determine the effect of the coastal structures in shoreline.The construction of El Arish harbor and power plant on an active open sea stopped the sediment transport at up drift with maximum rate 9.8 and 2.13 m/yr. respectively and causes erosion problem at down drift which motivate officials to construct protection works to mitigate erosion problems but unfortunately the groins implemented east El-Arish harbor don’t stop erosion process although it helps in shoreline fixation.