Aeolian sediment supply at a mega nourishment

Mega nourishments are intended to enhance growth and resilience of coastal dunes on medium to long time scales by stimulation of natural sediment transport processes. The growth and resilience of coastal dunes largely depends on the presence of a continuous supply of aeolian sediment. A recent example of a mega nourishment is the 21 Mm3 mega nourishment known as the Sand Motor. The Sand Motor is intended to nourish the entire Holland coast over a period of two decades. Four years of bi-monthly topographic measurements of the Sand Motor domain provide an opportunity to analyze spatiotemporal variations in aeolian sediment supply using an aeolian sediment budget analysis. It appears that more than 58% of all aeolian sediment deposits originate from the low-lying beaches that are regularly reworked by waves. Aeolian sediment supply from higher beaches diminished after half a year after construction of the Sand Motor, likely due to the formation of deflation lag deposits that constitute a beach armor layer. The compartmentalization of the Sand Motor in armored and unarmored surfaces suggests that the construction height is an important design criterion that influences the lifetime and region of influence for any mega nourishment.