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15 pages, 3955 KB

Open AccessArticle

Establishment of the Erosion Control Line from Long-Term Beach Survey Data on the Macro-Tidal Coast

by Soon-Mi Hwang, Ho-Jun Yoo, Tae-Soon Kang, Ki-Hyun Kim and Jung-Lyul Lee

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(9), 1784; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091784 - 16 Sep 2025

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Abstract

The west coast of Korea is characterized by a macro-tidal environment, where beach exposure varies significantly with tidal levels, resulting in high spatial variability of beach width and erosion patterns. This study aims to establish an Erosion Control Line (ECL) for Mallipo Beach [...] Read more.

The west coast of Korea is characterized by a macro-tidal environment, where beach exposure varies significantly with tidal levels, resulting in high spatial variability of beach width and erosion patterns. This study aims to establish an Erosion Control Line (ECL) for Mallipo Beach using long-term beach topographic data collected from 2009 to 2020. For each transect, beach width was statistically estimated for a 30-year return period by calculating the average and standard deviation of surveyed widths and applying the inverse function of the normal cumulative distribution. The variability of shoreline positions was analyzed as an indicator of shoreline sensitivity, allowing the identification of highly vulnerable sections. Based on these analyses, the ECL was derived for three tidal reference levels—Highest Water of Medium Tide (H.W.O.M.T), Highest Water of Neap Tide (H.W.O.N.T), and Mean Sea Level (M.S.L)—according to Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency (KHOA)’s tidal datums. When the H.W.O.N.T-based beach width was used to define the Target shoreLimit of Erosion Prevention (TLEP), several public facilities were found to fall within the erosion hazard zone. These findings underscore the need for institutionalized coastal setback policies in Korea and highlight the practical value of the proposed ECL method for managing erosion-prone zones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Processes under a Changing Climate)

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22 pages, 8607 KB

Open AccessArticle

Time Series Changes of Surficial Sediments on Eastern Ship Shoal, Louisiana Shelf

by Adam Gartelman, Kehui Xu, Brian J. Roberts, David Samuel Johnson and Madison Liotta

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(9), 1753; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091753 - 11 Sep 2025

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Abstract

Ship Shoal, a large transgressive sand body on the Louisiana continental shelf, is a critical sediment source for coastal restoration. This study evaluates spatial and temporal variability in sediment grain size, percents organic matter (%OM), and carbonate (%CO₃) across the shoal [...] Read more.

Ship Shoal, a large transgressive sand body on the Louisiana continental shelf, is a critical sediment source for coastal restoration. This study evaluates spatial and temporal variability in sediment grain size, percents organic matter (%OM), and carbonate (%CO₃) across the shoal crest (REF), Caminada Dredge Pit (CAM), and Terrebonne Dredge Pit (TER). Sediment samples were collected between 2020 and 2022 using box cores and analyzed for grain size, %OM, and %CO₃, with temporal and spatial patterns assessed through statistical comparisons, correlation analyses, and random forest regression models. Results show that dredged areas act as sinks for fine-grained, organic-rich sediments, with CAM consistently exhibiting the smallest median grain sizes and highest %OM, while REF maintained coarse, well-sorted sands. Carbonate enrichment reflected long-term depositional regimes, with REF exhibiting the highest %CO₃ due to the absence of dredging disturbance. Grain size and %CO₃ were identified as the strongest predictors of %OM, while %CO₃ was only weakly correlated with other sedimentary variables. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that dredge pits function as persistent repositories, with implications for benthic habitat resilience, sediment management, and coastal restoration planning. Future integration of hydrodynamic modeling with sediment transport and biogeochemical processes is needed to enhance predictive capability for managing dredged environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Processes under a Changing Climate)

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19 pages, 2622 KB

Open AccessArticle

Morphodynamic of Tidal Flat Profiles in an Erosion-to-Accretion Transitional Coastal Segment Under Wave–Current Interaction: A Case Study of Dafeng Port, China

by Tianjun Li, Yifei Zhao, Lizhu Wang, Hong Zhang, Min Xu and Jicheng Cao

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(9), 1746; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091746 - 10 Sep 2025

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Abstract

Understanding the morphodynamic evolution of muddy coasts under complex wave–tidal forcing is crucial for effective coastal management, particularly under the unstable hydrodynamic conditions associated with global climate change. This study employs a one-dimensional Delft3D model to investigate a tidal flat north of Dafeng [...] Read more.

Understanding the morphodynamic evolution of muddy coasts under complex wave–tidal forcing is crucial for effective coastal management, particularly under the unstable hydrodynamic conditions associated with global climate change. This study employs a one-dimensional Delft3D model to investigate a tidal flat north of Dafeng Port, Jiangsu Province, China, validated with multi-year profile measurements. Under typical conditions, the profile consistently exhibits upper-flat accretion and lower-flat erosion, with threshold values of Hs ≈ 1.2 m and Tp ≈ 4.5 s triggering nonlinear bed-level changes. During storm tides, the profile displays a distinct upper flood-tide and lower ebb-tide response. Long-term simulations suggest that the profile will likely reach dynamic equilibrium by 2026. Overall, this study demonstrates the capability of one-dimensional modeling to capture nonlinear tidal flat evolution and provides valuable insights into the spatially variable morphodynamics of muddy coasts for adaptive management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Processes under a Changing Climate)

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21 pages, 20274 KB

Open AccessArticle

Storm-Driven Geomorphological Changes on a Mediterranean Beach: High-Resolution UAV Monitoring and Advanced GIS Analysis

by Marco Luppichini

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(8), 1568; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13081568 - 15 Aug 2025

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Abstract

Coastal erosion is a growing concern in the Mediterranean region, where the combined effects of anthropogenic pressure, reduced fluvial sediment supply, and climate change-driven sea level rise and extreme storm events threaten the stability of sandy shorelines. This study examines the geomorphological impacts [...] Read more.

Coastal erosion is a growing concern in the Mediterranean region, where the combined effects of anthropogenic pressure, reduced fluvial sediment supply, and climate change-driven sea level rise and extreme storm events threaten the stability of sandy shorelines. This study examines the geomorphological impacts of the exceptional storm surge of 3 November 2023, associated with Storm Ciaran, which affected a vulnerable coastal segment north of the Morto Nuovo River in northern Tuscany (Italy). Using UAV-based photogrammetric surveys and high-resolution morphological analysis, we quantified shoreline retreat, dune toe regression, beach slope changes, and sediment volume loss. The storm induced an average shoreline retreat of over 5 m, with local peaks reaching 30 m, and a dune toe setback of up to 7 m. A net sediment budget deficit of approximately 1800 m³ was recorded, over 50% of the total volume added during soft nourishment interventions performed in the previous decade. Our findings highlight how a single high-energy event can match or exceed the annual average erosion rate, emphasizing the limitations of traditional shoreline-based monitoring and hard defense structures. This study highlights the importance of frequent, high-resolution monitoring focused on individual storm events, which is crucial to better understand their specific geomorphological impacts. Such detailed analyses help clarify whether long-term erosion trends are primarily driven by the cumulative effect of high-energy events. This knowledge is essential for identifying the most effective coastal protection strategies and for improving the design of defense structures. This approach is particularly relevant in the context of climate change, which is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme events, making it imperative to base future planning on accurate, event-driven data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Processes under a Changing Climate)

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24 pages, 5700 KB

Open AccessArticle

Temporal Scales of Mass Wasting Sedimentation across the Mississippi River Delta Front Delineated by ²¹⁰Pb/¹³⁷Cs Geochronology

by Jeffrey Duxbury, Samuel J. Bentley, Kehui Xu and Navid H. Jafari

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(9), 1644; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12091644 - 13 Sep 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1603

Abstract

The Mississippi River Delta Front (MRDF) is a subaqueous apron of rapidly deposited and weakly consolidated sediment extending from the subaerial portions of the Birdsfoot Delta of the Mississippi River, long characterized by mass-wasting sediment transport. Four (4) depositional environments dominate regionally (an [...] Read more.

The Mississippi River Delta Front (MRDF) is a subaqueous apron of rapidly deposited and weakly consolidated sediment extending from the subaerial portions of the Birdsfoot Delta of the Mississippi River, long characterized by mass-wasting sediment transport. Four (4) depositional environments dominate regionally (an undisturbed topset apron, mudflow gully, mudflow lobe, and prodelta), centering around mudflow distribution initiated by a variety of factors (hurricanes, storms, and fluid pressure). To better understand the spatiotemporal scales of the events as well as the controlling processes, eight cores (5.8–8.0 m long) taken offshore from the South Pass (SP) and the Southwest Pass (SWP) were analyzed for gamma density, grain size, sediment fabric (X-radiography), and geochronology (²¹⁰Pb/¹³⁷Cs radionuclides). Previous work has focused on the deposition of individual passes and has been restricted to <3 m core penetration, limiting its geochronologic completeness. Building on other recent studies, within the mudflow gully and lobe cores, the homogeneous stepped profiles of ²¹⁰Pb activities and the corresponding decreased gamma density indicate the presence of gravity-driven mass failures. ²¹⁰Pb/¹³⁷Cs indicates that gully sedimentary sediment accumulation since 1953 is greater than 580 cm (sediment accumulation rate [SAR] of 12.8 cm/y) in the southwest pass site, and a lower SAR of the South Pass gully sites (2.6 cm/y). This study shows that (1) recent dated mudflow deposits are identifiable in both the SWP and SP; (2) SWP mudflows have return periods of 10.7 y, six times more frequent than at the SP (66.7 y); (3) ²¹⁰Pb inventories display higher levels in the SWP area, with the highest focusing factors in proximal/gully sedimentation, and (4) submarine landslides in both study areas remain important for sediment transport despite the differences in sediment delivery and discharge source proximity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Processes under a Changing Climate)

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26 pages, 34475 KB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrodynamic Modeling of Water Renewal Time and Potential Dissolved Matter Using TELEMAC: Applications to Shediac Bay (New Brunswick, Canada)

by Chinh Lieou, Serge Jolicoeur, Thomas Guyondet, Stéphane O’Carroll and Tri Nguyen-Quang

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(3), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12030461 - 7 Mar 2024

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Abstract

This study examines the hydrodynamic regimes in Shediac Bay, located in New Brunswick, Canada, with a focus on the breach in the Grande-Digue sand spit. The breach, which was developed in the mid-1980s, has raised concerns about its potential impacts on water renewal [...] Read more.

This study examines the hydrodynamic regimes in Shediac Bay, located in New Brunswick, Canada, with a focus on the breach in the Grande-Digue sand spit. The breach, which was developed in the mid-1980s, has raised concerns about its potential impacts on water renewal time and water quality in the inner bay. The aims of this study, using mathematical modeling approaches, were to evaluate the flow regimes passing through the breach and influences on the distribution of dissolved matter, providing insights into whether the breach should be allowed to naturally evolve or be artificially infilled to prevent contaminant stagnancy in the bay. The study considered three simulation scenarios to comprehend the water renewal time and the role of the breach in the environmental management of Shediac Bay. Results indicated that completely closing the breach would significantly increase the water renewal time in the inner bay, although the spatial extent of this increase is limited. However, the study identified some limitations, including the need to better define the concentration limit for considering water as renewed and the lack of consideration of dynamic factors such as wind and wave effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Processes under a Changing Climate)

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21 pages, 58703 KB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

A Four-Year Video Monitoring Analysis of the Posidonia oceanica Banquette Dynamic: A Case Study from an Urban Microtidal Mediterranean Beach (Poetto Beach, Southern Sardinia, Italy)

by Daniele Trogu, Simone Simeone, Andrea Ruju, Marco Porta, Angelo Ibba and Sandro DeMuro

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(12), 2376; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11122376 - 16 Dec 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2243

Abstract

This paper investigates the dynamics of the cross-shore extensions of banquettes, a sedimentary structure mostly made by rests of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, in a sandy urban beach located in the Gulf of Cagliari, Italy, western Mediterranean. A video monitoring station was installed [...] Read more.

This paper investigates the dynamics of the cross-shore extensions of banquettes, a sedimentary structure mostly made by rests of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, in a sandy urban beach located in the Gulf of Cagliari, Italy, western Mediterranean. A video monitoring station was installed above the promontory south of the beach. We analysed a four-year image database and related these dynamics to wave and wind parameters (obtained from the Copernicus and ERA5 databases) from September 2016 to September 2020. Our results showed that banquette deposition occurred in concomitance with the presence of leaf litter in the surf zone associated with mild storm events. Erosion of the banquettes occurred during more intense storms. When leaf litter was not present in the surf zone, banquettes were not deposited even with mild storms. Wind can influence the banquette dynamics: under certain conditions of speed intensity, the banquettes may be removed offshore, supplying litter in the surf zone, or they may be covered by sediment. The permanence of the banquettes on the beaches also depended on their composition: when the banquettes were intertwined with reeds, their removal by the waves did not occur even during intense storms, and this sedimentary structure can protect the beach from flooding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Processes under a Changing Climate)

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33 pages, 2357 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Trends and Applications of Hydro-Morphological Modeling in Estuarine Systems: A Systematic Review of the Past 15 Years

by Nicolás Mora-Uribe, Diego Caamaño-Avendaño, Mauricio Villagrán-Valenzuela, Ángel Roco-Videla and Hernán Alcayaga

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(6), 1056; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061056 - 27 May 2025

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Abstract

Estuaries are dynamic ecosystems with crucial environmental, economic, and social functions, driving extensive hydro-morphological research supported by numerical modeling. This study systematically reviews estuarine modeling applications over the past 15 years to identify commonly used tools, model configurations, and validation strategies, to examine [...] Read more.

Estuaries are dynamic ecosystems with crucial environmental, economic, and social functions, driving extensive hydro-morphological research supported by numerical modeling. This study systematically reviews estuarine modeling applications over the past 15 years to identify commonly used tools, model configurations, and validation strategies, to examine regional trends in the application, and to explore and discuss the relative emphasis on hydrodynamic, sediment transport, and morphological modeling within the selected studies. Following the PRISMA 2020 methodology, a comprehensive search in Scopus and Web of Science identified 3926 articles, from which 197 met the eligibility criteria. Each study was analyzed to assess modeling software, mesh types, dimensional configurations, and validation parameters. Results indicate that DELFT3D is the most widely used tool, followed by TELEMAC and FVCOM, with a preference for two-dimensional models and structured meshes. Model accuracy, assessed through Skill Scores, confirms their reliability in representing estuarine dynamics. Additionally, findings reveal significant geographical disparities, with China leading research efforts, while Latin America and Africa remain underrepresented. This gap highlights the need to expand modeling efforts in these regions to enhance estuarine management and resilience. Strengthening numerical modeling in diverse contexts will improve the predictive capacity of hydro-morphological processes, supporting sustainable decision-making in estuarine environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coastal Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Processes under a Changing Climate)

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