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Shoreline Variability of a Bay Beach: The Case of Apam Beach, Ghana

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Abstract

The Ghanaian coast is eroding at a significant rate. A comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of a beach is vital for its management. Two decades of shoreline and a short-term sediment volume change data on the Apam Beach were analysed from freely available satellite and drone images, respectively. After assessing its long-term shoreline changes, it was revealed that the beach is gradually accreting at a mean rate of + 0.60 m/year. This, coupled with a net sediment deposition of + 3725.22 m3 within 5 months, could be attributed to fluvial discharges and the topography of the beach. The Parabolic Bay Shape Equation (PBSE) further characterised this beach as being in the dynamic equilibrium state. Thus, any disruption to the existing sediment transport mechanism will lead to a chronic erosion problem. To avert this, it is proposed that all future developments on this beach should be thoroughly planned.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded under the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) Project. The authors are grateful to the World Bank, Ghanaian Government and director and staff of the ACECoR as well as the UCC Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences for their financial and technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Coastal Management, Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana

    Raheem Abdul-Kareem, Noble Kwame Asare, Donatus Bapentire Angnuureng & Emmanuel K. Brempong

  2. Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana

    Raheem Abdul-Kareem, Noble Kwame Asare & Emmanuel K. Brempong

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  1. Raheem Abdul-Kareem
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  4. Emmanuel K. Brempong
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were undertaken by Raheem Abdul-Kareem and Emmanuel K. Brempong. Data analysis and interpretations were performed by Raheem Abdul-Kareem, Noble K. Asare and Donatus B. Angnuureng. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Raheem Abdul-Kareem, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Raheem Abdul-Kareem.

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Communicated by Brian B. Barnes

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Abdul-Kareem, R., Asare, N.K., Angnuureng, D.B. et al. Shoreline Variability of a Bay Beach: The Case of Apam Beach, Ghana. Estuaries and Coasts 45, 2373–2386 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-022-01110-9

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