Simulating cross-shore material exchange at decadal scale. Model application

Abstract

A model developed to describe long-term cross-shore (CS) exchange of sand and resulting profile evolution at regional scale was employed to simulate the evolution at three different sites. The model consists of modules for calculating dune erosion and overwash, bar-berm material exchange, and dune build-up by wind-blown sand transport, as described in detail in a companion paper (Larson et al., 2016). Selected study sites represent coastal stretches influenced by beach nourishment (Barra in Portugal), overwash and breaching (Macaneta spit in Mozambique), and dune development (Ängelholm in Sweden). The model applications showed overall good performance and the results of the simulations are promising. Due to limitations in data availability in Ängelholm and Macaneta, values on calibration parameters were mainly determined based on previous studies. For Barra, where more field measurements were available, the application showed good agreement between the simulated results and observations. The CS-model proved to be a useful tool to predict long-term evolution of beach-dune systems in a time perspective from years to decades. However, additional efforts should be directed towards improving the schematized model profile so that it can better represent other beach shapes such as a sloping berm or a barrier shape.