Decadal evolution of a sandy beach adjacent to a river mouth under natural drivers and human impacts

• DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1384780
• Publication Date: 2024-05-30T06:22:25Z
• Authors: Gen Liu; Feng Cai; Hongshuai Qi; Jianhui Liu; Chao Cao; Shaohua Zhao; Yanyu He; Jun Zhu; Chao Yin; Wenyuan Mo
• Keywords: River mouth

As escalating environmental pressures threaten the world’s beaches, understanding driving factors influencing their geomorphological changes is of critical global importance. This study focuses on morphological Sigeng beach adjacent to Changhua River Mouth in Hainan Island, China through decadal monitoring shoreline and profile topography tries illuminate natural anthropogenic that drove changes. The results showed undergone significant between 2008 2024, with notable accretion at northernmost southernmost general erosion other sections. change rates ranged -18.4 m/yr 13.0 m/yr, average rate -1.9 indicating overall erosion. net longshore sediment transport (LST) along was estimated combination cross-shore (profile) (shoreline) direction LST were southward, except for northern section where northward due diffraction NE waves by long sand spit northernmost. each varied from 0.8×10 4 m 3 /yr 3.5×10 /yr. main controlling evolution, including seasonal wave action reduction fluvial load, followed coastal structures, typhoon events, aeolian transport, sea level rise, discussed. Subsequently, adaptive protection measures, nourishment, accompanied groin system or multiple detached breakwaters proposed combat analysis presented this helpful understand morphodynamics predict future beaches.