SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE NORTHERN COAST OF EGYPT: STUDY CASE FROM MARINA EL-ALAMEIN TILL MARBELLA RESORT

Abstract

One of the enormous coastal problems is the coastal erosion. The Northern Coast of Egypt (NC) from Marina El-Alamein recreational center (MA) to Marbella resort (MR); located at a distance about 50 kilometers east of MA was suffering from a significant shoreline changes. In this study, a large stretch of the coast was modelled to attain the appropriate protection countermeasure. Firstly, shoreline change rates were calculated by analyzing the available shorelines extracted from satellite images using Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) tool in GIS. The shoreline changes were simulated using one-line numerical model. The model determines the shoreline changes due to wave induced long-shore sediment transport considering different types of coastal structures. The model was calibrated by field measurements and shorelines digitized from satellite imagery. The nearshore waves used in the shoreline model were estimated using a phase average wave transformation model based on Energy Balance Equation (EBE). The proposed coastal countermeasure involves using system of groins, system of detached breakwaters or mix of them with some recommendations for each case.