Abstract
In this paper, protection options for a high-value, industrial area along the coast of West Bengal (India) are investigated. The options are designed to protect against cyclone surges with a probability of 1/100 per year. Two alternatives are compared, a classical solution of a dike with a revetment and a solution with a mangrove belt in front of the dike. The results reveal that from a pure infrastructural cash-flow point-of-view, the mangrove solution is at least 25% cheaper than the classical solution with a rock revetment. An important finding is that this conclusion does not need the financial evaluation of the obvious additional ecological advantages that mangroves offer. It is postulated that these results are generally valid for high-value coastal areas under the attack of waves during storm surges.
Highlights
The ecological benefits, as well as the many other ecosystem services of mangroves are well known, as has been described in many publications, e.g., in [1]
Concretely evaluated for the Port of Haldia, India, the method described is postulated to be rather universal for cyclone protection against wave attack under storm surge conditions, since the evaluation could be based on cross-shore consideration of hydraulic processes alone without any three-dimensional complexity
This paper demonstrates that the use of mangroves as coastal protection against flooding during cyclones can be beneficial for areas with a relatively high economic value, like industrial estates
Summary
The ecological benefits, as well as the many other ecosystem services of mangroves are well known, as has been described in many publications, e.g., in [1]. Mangrove forests have direct financial benefits, which can lower the construction costs of coastal structures. In this way, nature-based solutions can be very economically attractive solutions. In [3], this has been elaborated for a coastal dike in an area in Vietnam with intensive agricultural use In this paper it will be elaborated for a coast along a high-value area in a cyclone prone area. This concrete example is evaluated using real costs (in this case Indian Rupees) rather than making only vague statements like “costs are significantly reduced”. Concretely evaluated for the Port of Haldia, India, the method described is postulated to be rather universal for cyclone protection against wave attack under storm surge conditions, since the evaluation could be based on cross-shore consideration of hydraulic processes alone without any three-dimensional complexity
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