Fine Spatial Scale, Frequent Morphological Monitoring of Urbanised Beaches to Improve Coastal Management

Kelis M Hinestroza-Mena,Gloria S Londoño-Colorado,Julieth K García-Blanco,Vladimir G Toro,Valeria Chávez,Rodolfo Silva

doi:10.3390/jmse9050550

Abstract

Between 1959 and 2010, a coastline retreat of 2.4 m/year and erosion of up to 174 m were recorded around Turbo, in northern Colombia. This degraded coastal system is the result of a poorly planned coastal defence scheme, combined with a lack of formal technical methodologies for diagnosis and monitoring. The coastal system cannot provide the protection services required by the local community. From 2017 to 2019, the group monitored urban beach profiles in a small area close to the town of Turbo, in the wet and the dry seasons, as part of a coastline analysis to identify morphodynamic trends in the area. The results show a net shoreline accretion of up to 30 m and positive sedimentary accumulation of up to 45.8 m3/m. To the north of the study area, sediment accumulation is evident at the Turbo River Delta. The 34 coastal protection structures in the study area have a high k index (~0.7), suggesting that they are the main drivers controlling the trend of sediment accumulation. The correlation of geomorphological, oceanographic, and anthropic variables related to the presence of coastal structures, is necessary in order to set up efficient coastal protection schemes.

Highlights

Coastlines are one of the most dynamic and complex environments on the planet, in areas that have been urbanized [1,2,3,4]
In the north of the study area, in segments 1 and 2 where the k index is zero, the results show a net advance of the coastline
These findings coincide with the results of Correa and Vernette [22], indicating that this section has no coastal protection structures and that it has net accretion, mainly associated with the delta of the Turbo River

Summary

Introduction

Coastlines are one of the most dynamic and complex environments on the planet, in areas that have been urbanized [1,2,3,4]. Examples of morphologic processes at some beaches close to major cities in Latin America are described in Silva et al [5] where the coastal areas are exposed to modification by natural as well as anthropic phenomena. Erosive processes are controlled by natural variables, such as winds, waves, currents, and tides. Intense winds play an important role in transporting the sand from beaches. Wind determines the power (height and period) and the direction of the waves. The waves erode the beaches, moving sediments offshore to submerged banks, from which they may be returned to the beach in periods of low energy waves [5]

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion