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Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada

On-line version ISSN 1646-8872

Abstract

PEREIRA, Carla  and  COELHO, Carlos. Coastal Risk Maps Due to Waves Action. RGCI [online]. 2013, vol.13, n.1, pp.27-43. ISSN 1646-8872.  https://doi.org/10.5894/rgci325.

According to the 4th Report of the International Panel for Climate Changes (IPCC, 2007), during the twenty-first century, the expected climate change will be expressed in terms of an acceleration of sea level rise, but also in terms of a higher frequency of extreme storm events, among other phenomena. These effects will aggravate the serious problems already observed, which result from the generalized deficit of coastal sediments, mainly associated with the reduction of rivers sediments supply. According to the higher or lower vulnerability, and to its level of exposure, coastal areas are suffering the effects of coastal instabilities and changes. Thus, it becomes important to know the consequences that will result from them, so that an evaluation can be made of the risk of coastal areas being overtopped, flooded or damaged by the sea wave energy. The knowledge of the exposure risk level of urban waterfronts, and of their inland neighbourhood, along with the respective risk mapping, can be a key tool in the decision-making process, namely on the management and planning of the coastal areas. The present study carried out a survey of different existing approaches for the classification of coastal vulnerability, exposure and risk, and then it applied the method presented by Coelho (2005), reviewed by Coelho, et al. (2007a) and Coelho and Arede (2009), along the Espinho-Mira coastal stretch, with a width of 2km. Representative maps classifying the coastal vulnerability, the exposure degree and the coastal risk to wave action, were obtained along this study area, having been observed that in general, the application of the proposed classification results in a methodical and objective assessment, which leads to results similar to the ones established by previous tools for the analysed region. The results highlight as very highly vulnerable the stretches between Esmoriz and Torreira and between Costa Nova and Mira. Due to strong urban occupation, Espinho shows a very high exposure to the wave action. Finally, the mapping results were analysed and compared with the previous studies performed to the same study area. This study reinforces the conclusion that the entire coastal stretch of the Aveiro coastal region is classified in a high risk class, highlighting the Espinho-Torreira and Costa Nova-Vagueira situation.

Keywords : vulnerability and exposure; risk classification; planning and management; Aveiro littoral.

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