Restoration of a seashore eroded due to dam operation through beach nourishment

Nestos River damming disrupted significantly the sedimentary equilibrium of Kera-moti shoreline, intensifying the coastal erosion problem in the area. Coastal erosion, assessed through Landsat images, showed a net sediment deficit of 0.94 km2 of land loss along this beach. An integrated study was undertaken aiming to detect submarine relict sand deposits available for beach nourishment, to estimate the total excavated and dry sediment volumes, to assess the post-nourishment longshore sand transport and to evaluate the related environmental implications. Results showed that available sediment volume extracted from the sandbank may range from 5 × 106to4.3 × 107m3, increasing beach width from 52 to 450 m, respectively. Post-nourishment longshore sediment transport volumes could reach 1.34 × 106 m3 yr1 at the exposed eastern part of the beach, diminishing rapidly to 2.91 × 105 m3 yr1 at its sheltered part, implying that beach restoration could last up to 33 years before sand is completely lost.