Shoreline Management Research Articles

Predicting the unseen: A shoreline shift analysis and prediction along Mayo Bay, Davao Oriental

45%-60% of the world’s population resides in shoreline areas. Shoreline regions are one of the most vulnerable areas to the effects of global warming. Positions of shorelines are challenging to predict, but the trend of accretion and erosion can be determined using statistical and geospatial techniques. Mati City is a major tourist destination for white sand beaches and pristine waters. Shorelines along Mayo Bay are a source of income for the local community. However, Mayo Bay has been subjected to shifts due to erosion. This study aims to determine the trend of the shoreline shift in Mayo Bay from 2013 to 2023. Landsat 8 OLI satellite images are used in this study. Results reveal that most shorelines experienced erosion, with 97.26% erosion transects. The shoreline length has slightly increased by 0.08% from 2013 to 2023 and is predicted to increase by 3.57% in 2063 and 11.51% by 2100. Barangay Lucatan shows the highest shoreline expansion, while Barangays Bobon and Dahican exhibit the most erosion, with mean rates of -27.15 m/year and -23.60 m/year, respectively. With a classification accuracy of 89% and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.05, the study provides a reliable basis for Mayo Bay’s shoreline management. The findings will inform erosion mitigation efforts and guide sustainable coastal management plans for at-risk areas.

Dynamics of Shoreline Changes Along the Coast of Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga River Estuary, North Eastern Coast of India Using DSAS Technique: A Geospatial Technology Approach

ABSTRACTThe coastal regions represent one of the most significant environmental and economic resources, offering critical ecosystems that support biodiversity. Shoreline change analysis offers critical insights into coastal dynamics, providing trends in erosion and accretion, enabling effective coastal management and hazard mitigation. In the current study, shoreline change is assessed utilizing the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) model for Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga river estuaries in Baleswar district, Odisha, India. The shoreline was extracted using multitemporal satellite images like Landsat‐5 and Landsat‐7 for the years 1991, 2000, and 2011. Similarly Sentinel‐2 and Landsat‐8 satellite imagery were used for the year 2022. The satellite data from 1991 to 2022 were processed using Envi, ArcGIS softwares and the shoreline is extracted for each year using band ratioing methods to demarcate shoreline. In the current research, the net accretion and erosion along the coast were analyzed using the GIS (geographic information systems) technique and the DSAS model. The four important statistical parameters of the DSAS model utilized in the study area are end point rate (EPR), net shoreline movement (NSM), linear regression rate (LRR), and least median of squares (LMS). The shoreline change analysis for the coast of Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga river estuary area from 1991 to 2022 reveals that 44% of the coast is under accretion, 7% is under stable coast, and 23% is under erosion. According to the findings, the coastal area of the recent study is both progressive and regressive in nature. For the study area, the average rates of shoreline accretion and erosion are 1.05 m and 0.45 m per year, respectively. The study gives information on erosion and accretion near the Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga river estuaries, which will aid in the development of an adaptive shoreline management strategy and coastal vulnerability assessment.

Participatory science methods to monitor water quality and ground truth remote sensing of the Chesapeake Bay.

Measurements by volunteer scientists using participatory science methods in combination with high resolution remote sensing can improve our ability to monitor water quality changes in highly vulnerable and economically valuable nearshore and estuarine habitats. In the Chesapeake Bay (USA), tidal tributaries are a focus of watershed and shoreline management efforts to improve water quality. The Chesapeake Water Watch program seeks to enhance the monitoring of tributaries by developing and testing methods for volunteer scientists to easily measure chlorophyll, turbidity, and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) to inform Bay stakeholders and improve algorithms for analogous remote sensing (RS) products. In the program, trained volunteers have measured surface turbidity using a smartphone app, HydroColor, calibrated with a photographer's gray card. In vivo chlorophyll and CDOM fluorescence were assessed in surface samples with hand-held fluorometers (Aquafluor) located at sample processing "hubs" where volunteers drop off samples for same day processing. In validation samples, HydroColor turbidity and Aquafluor in vivo chlorophyll and CDOM fluorescence were linear estimators of standard analytical measures of turbidity, chlorophyll and CDOM, respectively, with R2 values ranging from 0.65 to 0.85. Updates implemented in a new version (v2) of HydroColor improved the precision of estimates. These methods are being used for both repeat sampling at fixed sites of interest and ad-hoc "blitzes" to synoptically sample tributaries all around the Bay in coordination with satellite overpasses. All data is accessible on a public database (serc.fieldscope.org) and can be a resource to monitor long-term trends in the tidal tributaries as well as detect and diagnose causes of events of concern such as algal blooms and storm-induced reductions in water clarity.

Performance Assessment of Three Living Shorelines in Cedar Key, Florida, USA

A community-driven effort in Cedar Key, Florida, USA, resulted in the construction of three living shoreline retrofits intended to bolster failing coastal infrastructure and restore habitat functions in Daughtry Bayou. A multi-year monitoring program tracked changes in elevation and vegetation communities across the entire shoreline profile from lower-intertidal to upland/transitional zones and measured wave attenuation during typical and extreme (hurricane) conditions. Overall, these living shoreline retrofits served to soften more than 30% of the bayou’s shoreline, dramatically reducing the extent of armored shoreline in direct contact with tidal influence. The extent of vegetated habitat area has increased at all three sites, despite sediment export from higher elevation zones driven largely by repeated impacts from hurricanes and tropical storms. These living shorelines reduced wave energy by 33 to 79% in typical conditions and by up to 28% in hurricane conditions, consistently outperforming armored shorelines, even during an extreme event (Hurricane Idalia). Our monitoring efforts were sufficient to capture project trajectories and assess performance relative to project goals, but our program had limitations that could have been overcome with additional resources and increased focus on capturing spillover effects. The living shoreline retrofit projects assessed here have persisted through and shown signs of recovery after multiple tropical storms and hurricanes, while providing important energy reduction services. Thus, living shoreline retrofits continue to be a cost-effective shoreline management strategy in the short term for this area. However, our analyses suggest that persistence of these shorelines could be threatened by the combination of sea-level rise (by 2040), upland armoring, and an increasing risk of more intense tropical systems. Therefore, future interventions should more carefully consider these threats in conjunction with habitat enhancement goals.

Enhancing Climate Resiliency Through Improving Ecosystem Services in Shoreline Municipalities – Lessons from Canada

The accelerated impacts of climate change in waterfront areas and the proven inefficacy of the aging hardened shoreline infrastructure have driven shoreline management practices to evolve toward the enhancement of ecosystem services at the land-water interface. Gaining momentum as an adaptive approach in regenerative projects, living shorelines are comprised of natural ecosystem components used in combination or in place of traditional hard engineering methods to provide coastal protective services and erosion mitigation. The success of living shorelines in protecting shoreline property and ecosystem integrity varies based on the biogeomorphology and hydrology of the region and is also heavily reliant on social acceptance of the chosen approach and best practice for implementation. The relatively lower lifecycle cost and associated co-benefits of living shorelines have well positioned them as a promising alternative approach in theory. There are, however, gaps in regional long-term datasets and evidence-based guidelines. This research provides an overview of the underlying geopolitical readiness for integrating nature-based solutions in climate adaptation strategies within shoreline municipalities based on a comprehensive literature review complimented by expert interviews. The synthesized data can inform decisions for minimizing the destructive effects of traditional shoreline erosion prevention approaches and encourage successful implementation of solutions that offer ecological, health, social, and economic benefits.

Marshes to mangroves: Residential surveys reveal perceived wetland trade-offs for ecosystem services

Coastal landscapes are rapidly changing due to both climate change and the decisions of waterfront landowners. For instance, the climate-driven encroachment of woody mangrove species into grassy marshland areas is predicted to impact coastal ecosystems, with consequences for the ecosystem services these landscapes provide to people. However, there is a dearth of knowledge concerning coastal resident perceptions of the effects of mangrove expansion on wetlands and their ecosystem services, which may impact residents’ behavior around shorelines and landscape-level patterns. We surveyed waterfront residents in the northern Gulf of Mexico (USA) to understand perceptions of the relative performance of marshes and mangroves to deliver fisheries ecosystem services. Residential-scale shoreline condition and preference, recreational fishing activity, geography, and demographics were evaluated as potential predictors of resident perceptions through non-parametric comparisons across groups and ordered logit modeling. Significant predictors included area of residence, marsh shoreline condition, marsh shoreline preference, fishing frequency, and household income. Florida residents (where mangroves are most prevalent) and frequent recreational fishing participants exhibited stronger preference for mangroves. Unexpectedly, residents with marsh currently present on their shoreline also perceived that mangroves were better at delivering fisheries ecosystem services than marshes. Considering the important role that coastal residents play in shoreline management decisions, these results demonstrate how coastal resident attitudes may drive or mediate climate-driven processes in ways that are not evident by examining environmental conditions alone. Understanding social-ecological shifts due to climate change will be important to inform effective landscape management that promotes resilience in coastal ecosystems and societies.

Changing Coasts along Lake Michigan: Shoreline Management Impacts on the Inland Community

Changing Coasts along Lake Michigan: Shoreline Management Impacts on the Inland Community

One hundred years of inlet processes and barrier adjustments at North Inlet, SC

Debidue Beach and North Inlet are a coupled mixed-energy inlet-barrier system along the South Atlantic Bight in South Carolina, USA. Long-term chronic erosion along much of Debidue throughout the 20th century is the result of a shoreline adjustment triggered by an avulsion in the main channel of North Inlet occurring between 1926 and 1934. We use a historical database of shoreline positions compiled by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Analysis of Moving Boundaries Using R (AMBUR) package to quantify changes in the Debidue Beach shoreline over nearly 150 years from 1872 to 2011. This analysis documents relatively large-scale shoreline changes (and equivalent volumetric changes above local depth of closure “DOC”) following the shift in channel position, and a logarithmic decrease in erosion rates over the following decades. Mixed-energy ebb-dominant inlets have considerable effects on adjacent beaches due to their ability to retain and shed large quantities of sand relatively quickly. This study demonstrates that even systems exhibiting long-term stability — like North Inlet — are indeed migrational landforms and should be considered as such when formulating shoreline management plans along adjacent beaches.

Climbing ability of European pond turtles sharply declines on slopes steeper than 36°: Implications for shoreline management

Inadequate shoreline management might be detrimental to semiaquatic ground-dwelling taxa that utilize shorelines for migrations, basking and nesting sites. Although turtles are often associated with shorelines, limited knowledge of their climbing abilities hinders adequate management of these habitats. In this study we tested the climbing abilities of adult Emys orbicularis (N = 60) to explore the effect which artificial shorelines could have on their dispersal and habitat use. Over 90% of turtles were able to successfully climb a 36° slope. At steeper inclinations, female climbing success drastically dropped. Furthermore, climbing steeper inclinations is more time and energy consuming and might limit habitat use. Our results suggest that body size is the limiting factor of turtle climbing ability, regardless of sex. However, larger and less agile female turtles are especially susceptible to steep shorelines, since their fitness directly depends on their ability to reach favourable nesting sites. Based on our results, we suggest that slopes of artificial shorelines in European pond turtle habitats should not exceed 36° angles. Additionally, the shoreline surface should be textured (e.g. with grooves). Further studies should focus on locomotor abilities of other semiaquatic, ground-dwelling taxa (e.g. newts, toads, turtles), particularly as they pertain to obstacles around their reproductive centres.

Managing a potential conflict between the protection of geological sites and the need to safeguard essential road infrastructure: the Coverack North Coast Protection Scheme and palaeo-Moho in Cornwall, UK

In alignment with the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Shoreline Management Plan (SMP2), adopted by Cornwall Council, the Coverack North Coast Protection Scheme comprised the construction of a circa 125m long rock armour revetment, and 55m long retaining wall, at Coverack Cove on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, UK. This was to prevent sea erosion impacting vehicle access via the B3294, the main public highway into Coverack. The site of the proposed works on Coverack Beach is part of a Natural England designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geology, specifically the exposure on the foreshore of an almost continuous cross section of a palaeo-Moho, the former boundary between the earth's crust and underlying mantle. Following a period of consultation, a set of management proposals and mitigation measures were agreed with Natural England and Cornwall Council to protect and offset the impact of the proposed works on the SSSI asset. It is sometimes difficult to reconcile the issue of protecting communities from coastal erosion and ensuring the protection of geological assets. This can be mitigated if a balanced approach is adopted, and the work is sensitively managed to offset the impact of coastal protection schemes such of this.

Bottom sediments as an indicator of the restoration potential of lakes—a case study of a small, shallow lake under significant tourism pressure

The study covered a small, shallow lake, intensively used for recreation (sailing, tourist services and port infrastructure). This study aimed to determine the spatial differentiation of bottom sediments and the potential for phosphorus release in five zones, differing mainly in the type of recreation, depth, direct catchment management, shoreline management and macrophyte presence. The results were used to propose protective and restoration measures to improve the water quality of the studied lake. The innovation in the study was the detailed analysis of bottom sediments, which can be a significant source of pollution besides the external load from the catchment and tourist pressure, in the planned management of this ecosystem. Examination of the physicochemical properties of the bottom sediments showed a clear variation in both composition and potential for internal phosphorus loading. The sediments from the profundal zone, where the most boating activity was observed, together with the sediments from the shallow zone where the boats dock (mooring zone), had the highest potential to supply phosphorus to the bottom waters. This fact was demonstrated by the highest total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in sediments (up to 1.32 mgPg−1 DW) and the content of the most mobile fractions (up to 33%). The other zones associated with the marina, fuel zone, tributary and canal were not significant sources of phosphorus to the ecosystem. Based on the above results, a restoration method involving the removal of bottom sediments from the bottom zone was proposed, supported, of course, by protective measures in the catchment (maintaining a buffer zone around the lake and limiting the inflow of pollutants with tributary waters). The proposed measures with sustainable tourist pressure should improve water quality and thus contribute to protecting this valuable natural landscape.

Wave climate analysis for shoreline management plan in Kelantan, Malaysia

Wave climate analysis for shoreline management plan in Kelantan, Malaysia

Nation-scale multidecadal shoreline extraction and coastal spatio-temporal change monitoring using cross-mission remote sensing data

Mapping shorelines is critical for coastal management and conservation, as shorelines are essential indicators for understanding coastal geomorphology and dynamics. Nonetheless, as shorelines are often lengthy and rugged, in-situ surveys are labor-intensive and costly. Oppositely, spaceborne remote sensing data provide cost-efficient alternatives, yet, most earlier studies rely on manual digitization or thresholding band ratio-based water indices to delineate instantaneous shorelines, which locations are affected by varying water color and tides. Consequently, cross-temporal assessments of environmental and anthropogenic impacts on coastal stability remain challenging. The present study develops an edge detection-based, dual-temporal, nationwide, tide-coordinated, and sediment cell-based shoreline dataset in Japan, i.e., the TSSD-JP. Both 1980s and 2020s shorelines along the Japanese coasts are extracted using cross-mission multispectral data and an automated shoreline extraction method. The results are validated with national coast surveys and global shoreline databases, confirming a positional accuracy better than 80% at 50 m. Moreover, founded on the extracted dual-temporal shorelines, 30+ year coastal changes are measured. An increased land area of 293.21 km2 at a rate of 8.50 km2/yr is estimated. Evident accretions in bay regions of southern Honshu due to extensive land reclamation and engineering constructions are observed. Since the analysis is conducted on natural management units with a physical basis, potential biases caused by jurisdictional boundaries are overcome. Practically, because TSSD-JP is derived from freely accessible data and tools, its universal applicability is guaranteed. Thence, the proposed approach can be applied to different nations' intertidal zones to assess the coastal vulnerability and resilience as well as support local governments’ shoreline management plans (SMPs).

Assessing erosion and sediment removal in the Isla Salamanca coastal barrier: implications for the Barranquilla-Ciénaga highway and coastal marine biodiversity – Colombia

The Isla Salamanca coastal barrier on the Colombian Caribbean coast faces significant erosion, driven by climate change-induced, sea level rise and human activities such as highway construction. The Barranquilla-Ciénaga highway, particularly at kilometers 19 and 29, is at risk, with severe consequences for the region’s socio-economic and environmental well-being. Human interventions like the highway construction and seawall installations have disrupted the natural coastal dynamics, leading to increased erosion rates. The study, conducted between 2004 and 2021, reveals that the Isla Salamanca coastal barrier is experiencing substantial transgression, with erosion rates peaking at -16.1 m·yr− 1. The highway protection measures, with seawall construction, have proven inadequate, exacerbating erosion downstream. The mangrove loss due to hydrological changes and increased salinity is further threatening the fragile ecosystem. The research emphasizes the importance of considering biodiversity loss in the context of rapid erosion rates. The region, declared a Ramsar Site and Biosphere Reserve, hosts vital ecosystems like mangroves and dunes, whose destruction negatively impacts marine biodiversity. The study suggests the relocation of the highway, acknowledging the challenges of preserving wetlands and mangroves in the process. Balancing the need for infrastructure with ecological preservation is essential, and the study proposes comprehensive solutions, including shoreline management, ecosystem-based protection, and community involvement. The goal is to mitigate erosion’s adverse effects on biodiversity, habitat integrity, and the overall health of this ecologically sensitive region.

Satellite remote sensing can provide semi-automated monitoring to aid coastal decision-making

Coastlines are projected to face unprecedented pressures over the next century due to climate change-induced changes in sea level, storm, wave, and tidal regimes. This projection of increasing pressure is driving a reappraisal of existing shoreline management practices, with both science and policy calling for future strategies to work with the natural protection provided by coastal habitats such as salt marshes. However, we currently lack the understanding of long-term ecosystem dynamics required to incorporate these habitats into the definitive predictions of risk relied on in coastal protection planning. Satellite remote sensing has the potential to provide data that could address this knowledge gap with its frequent repeat times and global coverage facilitating the production of high temporal frequency time-series over large areas. This study sought to explore this potential in one of the largest coastal plain estuaries the in the UK, the Severn Estuary. The Random Forest machine learning algorithm was used to develop a time-series of marsh extents across the estuary from 1985 to 2020 in Google Earth Engine, with widths also extracted as a proxy for the marshes’ protective capacity. These changes were monitored in six areas that contained the most significant areas of salt marsh across the estuary. This analysis revealed a significant increasing trend in extent and widths (p < 0.05), and therefore natural coastal protection, in three of the six areas over the study period, with validation testing finding an overall accuracy for the classification of >90% and a strong agreement found between the detected widths and those found in previous surveys. These findings demonstrate that satellite remote sensing combined with machine learning has the potential to provide valuable insights into changes in the extents of marshes and therefore their protective capacity. This information can be useful in the coastal planning process, allowing decision-makers to assess the sustainability of existing defences fronted by marshes, as well as allowing them to make informed decisions about the location of restoration schemes.

Reducing Barriers to Living Shorelines Through Sea Grant Extension Programs

Natural shorelines provide ecosystem services that are integral to maintaining healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems and communities. However, anthropogenic and environmental stressors are reducing the extent of natural shorelines, and thus, their capacity to provide critical ecosystem services. Unfortunately, the most common shoreline management strategies involve hardened structures (e.g., bulkheads and seawalls) that are known to impair coastal ecosystems. Living shorelines offer a more environmentally friendly alternative to this shoreline hardening. To increase the adoption of living shorelines, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium and Florida Sea Grant have produced guidance documents, offered technical assistance, constructed demonstration sites, and hosted trainings for property owners, contractors, and other practitioners. This article summarizes those efforts, details the results that have been achieved, and outlines existing barriers to further living shoreline implementation in the region.

Shoreline Change Analysis with Deep Learning Semantic Segmentation Using Remote Sensing and GIS Data

Shoreline management is essential for navigation, coastal resource management, and coastal planning and development. Shoreline change detection is vital for shoreline monitoring; however, traditional methods used for such detection are laborious and have limited accuracy. An approach that integrates remote sensing imagery and geographic information systems (GISs) is proposed herein to simultaneously identify shoreline changes and perform grid-level visualization for updating shoreline data. The integrated approach uses deep learning-based segmentation networks and water indexes to accurately classify land and sea in remote sensing images. Transfer learning was used to address the issue of insufficient data, wherein weights trained on a large open dataset were applied to the target area. The segmentation results were compared with existing shoreline GIS data to identify the areas experiencing shoreline changes. Grid-level visualization enhanced the identification of regions requiring flexible data updates and investigation efficiency by focusing on specific areas. The proposed approach accurately detected shoreline changes, albeit with some errors of commission, predominantly in regions featuring intricate shorelines and small clusters of islands. The proposed approach offers efficient solutions for shoreline change detection, with potential applications in coastal management, environmental science, urban planning, and coastal hazard assessment.

Transitions in modes of coastal adaptation: addressing blight, engagement and sustainability

Coastal defences have long provided protection from erosion and flooding to cities, towns and villages. In many parts of the world, continued defence is being questioned due to both environmental, sustainability and economic considerations. This is exemplified in England and Wales, where strategic Shoreline Management Plans envisage realignment of many protected coasts, often with low population densities, over the coming decades. The policy transition from protection to realignment is often resisted by affected communities and can have high political costs. Whilst some preparations for such transitions have been made, the communities affected are often not fully aware of the implications of policy change, and this brings the potential for blight. In this paper, we investigate the challenges of implementing transitions in coastal policy within England and Wales. The analysis is based on data obtained from three workshops held in 2019 that were attended by council members, engineers, planners, scientists and other relevant professionals. Five conditions are found to promote contention: (i) policy actors with competing priorities and different decision making time frames (immediate to decadal to a century); (ii) divergence between regulations and ad hoc political decisions (e.g. in relation to the demand for new housing); (iii) limited or non-existent funding to support policy transition; (iv) community expectation that protection is forever; and (v) a disconnection between people and ongoing coastal change. Our research indicates that transitions can be better supported through: (1) integrated multi-scalar preparedness for coastal change; (2) an accessible evidence base and future vision to nurture political confidence in adaptation; and (3) defined, time-bound and accessible diverse funding streams to achieve transitions. Critically, these generic actions need to be embedded within the local political and planning system to facilitate transition to more sustainable coasts and their communities.

Unmanaged realignment: Recent examples and the morphological evolution of naturally breached flood defences

Managed realignment describes the breaching of coastal flood defence such as sea walls, embankments, and barrier beaches for habitat restoration and flood defence purposes. These sites are deliberately breached at pre-determined locations, often with extensive engineering works carried out to encourage a mosaic of habitat types. However, landscaping and engineering works typically alter the site's morphology, resulting in a more simplified creek and drainage network with lower topographic variability than natural saltmarshes. As a result, drainage might be restricted, impacting the plant communities that can colonise and preventing widespread sedimentation and seed dispersal. In contrast, unmanaged realignment (uMR) is the natural breaching of flood defences without any of these costly engineering or landscaping works performed prior to site breaching. uMR sites provide an opportunity to assess the ‘natural’ morphological evolution of realignment sites without the influence of extensive site design, engineering, or landscaping features, yet there remains little analysis of the evolution of ‘recent’ uMR sites. To address this gap in knowledge, this paper describes ten recent occurrences of uMR on the coast of England since 1996. From these sites, five were selected for analysis of the pre-breach morphology in comparison to areas of natural saltmarsh and the subsequent morphological evolution. In general, lower topographic variability, although a higher density of creeks, was found within the sites before breaching in comparison to the adjacent areas of natural marsh. Following site breaching, results suggest that uMR sites become less topographically diverse, with some evidence of subsequent increases in topographic variability at the two oldest uMR sites. Findings are discussed in terms of the potential benefits of uMR for shoreline management planning. It is recommended that further consideration of the wider impact of uMR on coastal and estuarine systems is required within the shoreline management process to ensure uMR sites have a positive impact on the strategic delivery of shoreline management planning.

Mapping and assessment of coastal infrastructure for adaptation to coastal erosion along the coast of Ghana

Globally, coastal managers are challenged to make informed decisions when selecting coastal infrastructure to respond to climate-induced sea-level rise and associated coastal hazards like coastal erosion and flooding. Classifying the types of coastal infrastructure permits the comparison of their potential efficiency, environmental and socioeconomic impacts, and long-term response to sea-level rise. At present, information on coastal infrastructure implemented along the coastal area of Ghana is not known thus creating a research gap to catalog this information. To achieve this, we combined satellite images from Google Earth Pro and the use of ArcGIS capabilities to conduct a national assessment of coastal infrastructure and its distribution along the coast of Ghana. Even though similar approaches have been applied in different geographic contexts, this article focuses on evaluating coastal infrastructure in Ghana. Results show that between 2004 and 2022, at least 110 km or approximately 20% of the coast of Ghana has been protected using grey infrastructure, distributed as groins 35.9 km (6.5%), revetments and seawalls 50 km (9%), and jetties and port breakwaters 25 km (4.5%) of the 550 Km coastline. These do not include the numerous private recreational infrastructure that could increase coastal vulnerability. The increasing use of grey infrastructure, particularly seawalls, and revetments along the coast has adverse impacts on overall coastal evolution and causes socioeconomic challenges. This study supports coastal managers to review coastal adaptation policy and develop shoreline management plans for the coast of Ghana.