Leveraging public data for beach monitoring plan development in coastal regions

In tourism-oriented coastal regions, beaches provide significant economic value alongside vital ecosystem services, such as habitats for benthic organisms, recreational spaces for local communities, and natural wave energy dissipation. However, these environments face increasing hazards due to anthropogenic influences, compounded by climate change. Developing robust and cost-effective monitoring and modelling plans is essential to ensure the sustainability and resilience of these valuable ecosystems.

This study, conducted within a transboundary cooperation project focused on beach vulnerability and resilience improvement across the eastern Adriatic coast (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro), explores the application of publicly available data as a baseline for monitoring and modelling efforts at twelve pilot beach sites. Spatially dispersed meteorological data from platforms like Visual Crossing and oceanographic data derived from CMEMS hindcast models and EMODnet bathymetry are assessed for their temporal and spatial coverage, reliability, and limitations. These datasets serve as a foundation for identifying site-specific conditions and knowledge gaps that will be addressed through project-specific monitoring, including photogrammetry campaigns, numerical sediment transport modelling, and physical laboratory experiments on erosion countermeasures.

By leveraging publicly available resources, this study develops practical guidelines for organizing monitoring activities and integrating modelling efforts tailored to the south-eastern Adriatic context. While the approach is specific to this region, it provides insights into balancing resource constraints with the need for detailed environmental data in other coastal settings under similar pressures.