Beaches of Cadiz

The coast of Cadiz province (SW Spain) constitutes a complex system with a wide variety of hydrodynamic and geological-geomorphological conditions. Morphodynamic behaviour of beaches in this area shows more dissipative states in the Atlantic coast and more reflective states in the Mediterranean coast. Recent shoreline trends indicate a relatively stable behaviour along most part of Cadiz coast over the last decades, although there are numerous sectors with a clearly erosive trend, mainly in the Northern half of the province. The great spatial and temporal variability of shoreline changes observed is related to the heterogeneity of the coast, as well as to the diversity of factors contributing to erosion processes on each sector. Several coastal hazard hotspots appear along the study zone, mostly related to extreme meteorological events and short-term trends, namely coastal erosion and flooding. The frequency and severity of the risks derived from these hazards have increased over the last decades, mainly due to the increased anthropogenic pressure and urban development on the coast. The coast of Cadiz province (SW Spain) constitutes a complex system with a wide variety of hydrodynamic and geological-geomorphological conditions. Morphodynamic behaviour of beaches in this area shows more dissipative states in the Atlantic coast and more reflective states in the Mediterranean coast. Recent shoreline trends indicate a relatively stable behaviour along most part of Cadiz coast over the last decades, although there are numerous sectors with a clearly erosive trend, mainly in the Northern half of the province. The great spatial and temporal variability of shoreline changes observed is related to the heterogeneity of the coast, as well as to the diversity of factors contributing to erosion processes on each sector. Several coastal hazard hotspots appear along the study zone, mostly related to extreme meteorological events and short-term trends, namely coastal erosion and flooding. The frequency and severity of the risks derived from these hazards have increased over the last decades, mainly due to the increased anthropogenic pressure and urban development on the coast.