Coastal protection structures and their impact on coastal processes: a Case Study contributing to the assessment of Climate change mitigation measures

IOC Session 1 

The Nile Delta's coastline ecosystem has deteriorated for a long time and is exceedingly vulnerable to climate change. Due to this erosion, substantial economic assets have been lost due to how people use the coastal zone. The primary obstacles include Excessive land usage, Water pollution, Erosion along the shore, Flooding and the degradation of natural resources and habitats. Similarly, these issues are compounded by the anticipated effects of climate change, such as land subsidence, increased susceptibility to flooding, coastal erosion, and rising salinity intrusion into groundwater. The impact of climate change on coastal regions is a topic of frequent discussion in the media, and scientists are actively investigating the implications in various parts of the world. This pilot study, with its potential to significantly impact coastal management, aims to assess the coastal erosion rate before and after implementing each stage of coastal protection. The assessment is based on an actual land survey of the beaches in the Rashid coastal area of the Nile Delta, which is the coastal region most vulnerable to climate change in the Mediterranean. The results of our data analysis have revealed that the construction of the eastern and western groins has had a detrimental impact on the coastal morphology of the promontory, leading to severe erosion when drifting downward, with an erosion rate exceeding 30.8 m/yr. However, the comparison between the pre-and post-protection periods along the Rosetta promontory has shown that the erosion has ceased at the tip of the promontory and shifted to the lower sides after the coastal protection. The rate of shoreline change was evaluated using linear regression (LRR) and end point rate (EPR) methods, but we employed a digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS) to analyze shoreline changes. The results indicate a high erosion rate, with a maximum value of 31 m/yr recorded at the down-drift area of the eastern groin during the period (2000-2015). On the other hand, some parts of the coastline are experiencing accretion at an average rate of 12.5m/yrs in Abu Khashabeh, east of the lower drift of the eastern groin.