Identification of Coastal Erosion Causes in Matanchén Bay, San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico

ABSTRACT Martinez, R.; Silva, R., and Mendoza, E., 2014. Identification of coastal erosion causes in Matanchen Bay, San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico. This work presents an analysis of the erosion processes in Matanchen Bay based on the available historical records; the possible causes were identified and discussed. The bay is located on the Pacific coast of Nayarit state, Mexico; its northern tip is a highly dynamic system that has undergone intense morphological modifications over the last 80 years. At the beginning of the 1940s an unexplained growth in the beach at the northern tip of the bay was observed, while 40 years later, and up to date, erosion processes began adversely affecting small businesses in the area. The primary causes of the erosion are the anthropogenic modifications in the bay and its surroundings, which include the construction of a hydroelectric dam system, new transport infrastructure, tourist facilities, a harbor and several dredging works in the existing port. In this paper the evolutio...