Shoreline Protection

What to Consider

Protection of the coast and the shore against the erosive forces of waves, currents and storm surge can be performed in many ways, and protection of the coast and the hinterland against flooding adds even more types to the protection defence measures.

The choice of the measure in a given situation depends on the three primary conditions:

 

  1. The problem (coast erosion, beach degradation or flooding)
  2. The morphological conditions (the type of coastal profile and the type of coastline)
  3. The land use (infrastructure/habitation, recreation, agriculture etc.)

Some of the measures have mainly one function, which e.g. is the case for a revetment. It protects the coast against erosion, but aggravates shore erosion. Beach nourishment, on the other hand, protects against coast erosion as well as against shore degradation.

CAQ Engineering Associates, Inc.