State of shore and backshore on the basis of monitoring results for selected polish seashores

Abstract

Aim of works on morphology and morphometry of the coastal zone is identification of qualitative and quantitative changes in the beach-dune strip and in the shoreface in conditions of their natural and anthropogenic transformations. As shore and backshore are essential elements reducing risks from the sea to the adjacent hinterland, this article focuses on evaluation of their parameters. Moreover, elements of the coast are described herein in detail. The research material used for the purposes of this article were records of bathymetric-tacheometric measurements of the Polish coast, made at consistent profiles evenly spaced every 500 m. The measurements did not cover the areas adjacent to the Bay of Gdańsk or the Lagoons. This article presents an analysis of the measurements of components of the coastal zone, which covered four morphodynamical areas (the Hel Peninsula, Jastrzębia Góra – Jarosławiec, Jarosławiec – Sarbinowo, and Sarbinowo – Międzyzdroje), twelve sandbar stretches (the Helska, Karniewska, Sarbska, Łebska, Długie, Gardno, Wicko, Kopań, Bukowo, Jamno, Resko, and Dziwnowska Spits) and thirteen cliff stretches (the cliffs in Chłapowo, Jastrzębia Góra, Rowy, Dębina, Ustka, Jarosławiec, Wicie, Sarbinowo, Ustronie Morskie, Śliwin, Trzęsacz, Pobierowo, and on Wolin Island). The basic linear parameters of the beach-dune and beach-cliff belt were read from 678 printouts of tacheometric profiles. A detailed analysis carried out in this manner made it possible for the endangered sections of the coast to manifest themselves. The obtained data are a basis for further comparative analyses, and assessment of the shore under conditions of implementation of the Act on the Protection of Sea Coasts.