WIT Press


Landform Characteristics And The Impact Of Human Structures On The Coastal Area Of Pozzallo (South Sicily, Italy)

Price

Free (open access)

Volume

81

Pages

10

Published

2005

Size

897 kb

Paper DOI

10.2495/ECO050621

Copyright

WIT Press

Author(s)

V. Liguori, G. Anfuso, J. A. Martínez & J. Benavente

Abstract

A geomorphologic approach, combined with GIS tools, was used to investigate a 26 Km long coastal sector in South Sicily, Italy, affected by important erosive processes. The applied methodology allowed for a database to be obtained involving all coastal characteristics, providing helpful information on coastal processes and general sediment circulation patterns. Coastal erosion, mainly linked to the construction of a port, was locally contrasted by the construction of hard structures, especially rip-rap revetments and breakwaters, generating environmental stress in the downdrift area. Nowadays a nourishment project has been planned to solve existing erosive problems, but there is still the lack of a general erosion management plan that should be principally based on the installation of a by-passing system. Keywords: erosion, port, Pozzallo, Sicily. 1 Introduction Coastal retreat is the landward displacement of shoreline because of marine erosion or flooding [1]. Usually, it is contrasted by protection works constructed on very specific sites, to solve concrete and urgent problems. Most of them constitute a temporary remedial without a general erosion management

Keywords

erosion, port, Pozzallo, Sicily.