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Definition of Sediment Management Plans elements

Abstract:

Three set of recommendations and good practices for beach sediments maintenance and management corresponding to three different dimensions: a) Competence for beach sediments cleaning maintenance and management; b) Practices for beach sediment maintenance implementation by local operators or public administrations; c) Regional regulation on the implementation of beach sediment management good practices

Application in MSP:
Type of Issue:
Type of practice:
Stage of MSP cycle:
Cross-border / trans-national aspect:
Yes
Coherence with other processes:
Key words:

Questions this practice may help answer

  • Questions related to the sustainable exploitation of inland, littoral and offshore sediment stocks for beach nourishment, which is defined in the practice from an environmental, technical, economical perspective.  
  • Recommendations on adaptation strategies and sediments management plan using decision support systems in order to link stakeholders who have an interest and competence.

Implementation Context

The Definition of Sediment Management Plans Elements were developed within the context of the COASTANCE project, and constitutes its Component 4 of activity: Regional policies and littoral management practices.

This Component aims to formulate Coastal Protection Management Plans for adapting coastal zones to climate change against erosion effects and submersion risk. Core of the the plan structure were precisely the Sediment Management Plans (SMPs) for both off-shore and littoral deposits exploitation for nourishment (location, characteristics, radius of competence/beaches to feed, exploitation technology, treatments needed).

This image shows the Report Cover

Aspects / Objectives

The main aim of Component 4 is the formulation of plans for coastal protection and management and adaptation to climate change effects such as erosion:

In this way, the practice provides information for kid to long term planning actions for climate change effects adaptation of coastal zones by helping in the definition of Sediment Management Plans (SMPs) for both offshore and littoral deposits exploitation (location, characteristics, radius of competence/beaches to feed, exploitation technology and treatments needed).

Method

According with the concept that considers the beach as the main defence “structure” for inland areas, actions should be focused on beaches preservation. The strategy framework of low and sandy beaches management is based on two pillars:

• feeding the system with sediment coming from external sources or from sediment accumulations within the system;

• reducing sediment losses through proper management of beach sediment and by reducing the anthropogenic component of subsidence.

In this frame the knowledge of possible sediment sources (off-shore, littoral and inland) for beach nourishment is fundamental, as well as the  set up of good practices of beach sediment management and preservation.

Main Outputs / Results

A  model to formulate coastal protection action plans and sediment management plans, including examples of plans formulated, during the project, by partner regions, together with a data model and tool for coastal sediment management based on littoral cells (SICELL)

The EU project COASTANCE REPORT, phase B Component 4, Territorial Action Plans for coastal protection and management: “Definition of Sediment Management Plans elements” technical report , includes three set of recommendations and good practices for beach sediments maintenance and management corresponding to three different dimensions:

  • Competence for beach sediments cleaning maintenance and management
  • Practices for beach sediment maintenance implementation by local operators or public administrations
  • Regional regulation on the implementation of beach sediment management good practices

This image shows the location of the six underwater sand deposits

This image shows the Connecting operation between the dredge and the floating pipeline

Transferability

The three set of recommendations on competence, practices for sediment maintenance and regulation for the implementation of sediment management plans are based on the experiences of low-land areas around big river mouths with long beaches (East Macedonia-Thrace, Languedoc-Roussillon, Hérault, Emilia-Romagna); and  mixed rocky and sandy coastlines (Crete, Lazio, Andalusia,Cyprus); By achieving such a complete geographic coverage, these recommendations stand with a good chance of being useful to external users working on the erosion phenomena in the Mediterranean and thus it can eventually lead to the development of coherent, plausible and applicable results in other parts of the basin.

Contact Person

Roberto Montanari

Regione Emilia-Romagna

Responsible for Component 4

 

Angelos Antoniadis

Project Coordinator

Regional Development Fund Regional Development Fund of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

Email: infoatpta-emth.gr (info[at]pta-emth[dot]gr)

 

Costs / Funding Source

No info specific on the costs for the practice itself. The overall project costs, involving three thematic components, was of 1.9 million euro.