Coastal engineering projects, often hindered by high costs and inadequate monitoring practices, may soon receive significant enhancements thanks to innovative satellite remote sensing techniques. A new methodology developed by researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València aims to provide accurate, continuous monitoring of shoreline changes before, during, and after coastal interventions.
Beaches serve as pivotal natural resources, significantly contributing to local economies, especially through tourism. Yet, climate change and human activity are leading to accelerated erosion, threatening many shorelines worldwide. Traditional methods for monitoring these changes, typically project-based and lacking follow-up assessments, have left gaps in real-time data collection, hindering effective coastal management strategies.
The newly proposed approach utilizes publicly available satellite imagery from Landsat and Sentinel systems and leverages advanced tools like SHOREX for automatic shoreline extraction. This allows granular insights on beach dynamics, enabling coastal managers to make informed decisions based on precise spatial and temporal data.
Using high-resolution data, the researchers illustrated the method's application through two case studies along the Valencian coast: Ponent Beach and the region between Valencia and Cape Cullera. At Ponent Beach, significant changes were observed following sand nourishment actions aimed at widening the recreational beach to accommodate growing tourist demands. The methodology enabled the quantification of beach width changes and shoreline responses before and after engineering actions, evidencing the utility of remote sensing techniques.
At the regional scale, the effects of the Port of Valencia on local beach dynamics were assessed. Researchers noted how modifications made to the port influenced longshore sediment transport, exacerbated erosion rates, and necessitated interventions to restore beach integrity. By analyzing over 1,000 satellite images collected since 1984, the team successfully mapped shifting shorelines and provided valuable insights, displaying the adaptability of the approach for diverse coastal regions.
This innovative remote monitoring has broad applicability not just for the coastal areas of Spain but also for other parts of the world where traditional monitoring methods face logistical and financial hurdles. The systematic analysis provided by this approach not only offers retrospective data on shoreline changes but also aids future planning and resource allocation for coastal engineering practices.
Crucially, the initiative emphasizes the need for continuous post-construction monitoring of coastal engineering efforts to understand their long-term viability. While the method effectively addresses monitoring challenges, it also serves as a call to action for local and national authorities to integrate advanced remote sensing technology as standard practice for managing coastal resources, potentially saving millions and preserving these precious environments for future generations.