Assessment impact of the Damietta harbour (Egypt) and its deep navigation channel on adjacent shorelines

Abstract

Deep navigation channels have a great impact on adjacent beaches and crucial economic effects because of periodic dredging operations. Navigation channel of Damietta harbour is considered a clear example of sedimentation problem and deeply affects the Northeastern shoreline of Nile Delta. The aim of the present study is monitoring shoreline using remote sensing techniques to evaluate the effect of Damietta harbour and its navigation channel on the shoreline for the last 45 years. Also, the selected period was divided into two intervals to illustrate the effect of man-made interventions on the shoreline. Shorelines were extracted from satellite images and then the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) was used to estimate accurate rates of shoreline changes and predict future shorelines of 2030, 2040, 2050 and 2060. Navigation channel of Damietta harbour created an accretion area in wersern side with average rate of 2.13 m yr-1. On the contrary, shoreline in the eastern side of the harbour retreated by 90 m on average over the last 45 years. So, it is considered one of the main hazard areas along the Northeastern shoreline of Nile Delta that needs a sustainable solution. Moreover, detached breakwaters system is predicted to provide shore stabilization at the eastern side  as the one at Ras El-Bar beach. Predicted shoreline of 2060 shows a significant retreat of 280.0 m in average.