Overview of multi-level study on coastal processes and shoreline evolution at Northern Persian Gulf and Oman Sea

An overview of a comprehensive multi-level approach on coastal processes and shoreline evolution is introduced in this article. Different scales of the work in terms of coverage, tools, applications and required accuracy of the outcomes is considered, for both managerial supports and engineering applications. The study is part of a multidisciplinary project of data gathering and modeling met-ocean parameters and coastal processes at Hormozgan province and Qeshm Island which cover more than a thousand kilometers of Iranian coastline bordering the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. The main part of the study is devoted to understanding coastal processes, possible accretion/erosion areas and resulting coastline changes thereof in order to form a knowledge foundation for addressing broad coastal management objectives. The study is initiated with compartmentalization of the entire coastline to cells and sub-cells. Three levels of study are then introduced. The coverage and procedure of study for each level are chosen based on the availability and accuracy of the data and expected outcomes. It appears that a well-organized multi-level approach of study is essential when a lengthy coastline is the subject and where a variety of outcomes are expected, especially when basic information is scarce and unevenly distributed.