Coastal management and mis-management: comparing successes and failures at two lagoon outlets in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

ABSTRACT Guastella, L.A., Smith, A, M., Breetzke T., 2014. Coastal management and mis-management: comparing successes and failures at two lagoon outlets in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In: Green, A.N. and Cooper, J.A.G. (eds.), Proceedings 13th International Coastal Symposium (Durban, South Africa), Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 70, pp. 513–520, ISSN 0749-0208. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has a high energy, dynamic coastline. The coast is a significant asset, utilised for residential, industrial, transport, nature conservation and recreational purposes. It is also the discharge point for many steep gradient, short-headed rivers. These rivers have highly variable discharges and, together with variable coastal erosion and deposition cycles, place stress on coastal resources and infrastructure. Many of the rivers, particularly those with smaller catchments, discharge into back-beach lagoons before discharging into the ocean. Lagoon outlet dynamics are variable and, when combined with ocean swells an...