RIA DE FOZ: SOLUTION FOR A HARBOUR AND COASTAL PROBLEM

Abstract

The ria of Foz is located in the Northwestern part of the Iberica - Peninsula, inside the Rias Altas group, in the Eastern extrem of Lugo/ province. It is placed on the natural form known as Golfo of Masma, topographical accident that takes its name from the river that flows - into the ria. From the point of view of the materials that constitute the environ ment, they are mainly composed by slaters and quarzites, with some levels of carbonates from the Low Paleozoical period. To the West, the - granitic materials are predominant. The ria is limited in its margens by some little slope and relative ly low cliffs. Its bounds have a little depth, due to the filling process, natural in the Rias Altas. The materials that refill the ria, come from the sea erosion of the cliffs (1), and the refilling is due/ to the sea waves action that produces in the tidal flow and ebb an - - asymetrical capacity of erosion and transport (2). That is a natural - situation, but the human action, building some channeling constructions has accelerated this refilling process. The traditional economic development on this zone, has been based - on some principal activities: fishing and agriculture, but nowadays turistic use rounds off the others. This situation and the evolution - of sailing neccesities on the ria, has been a conflict reason, which - is a consequence of the competition between these uses.