Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Coastline instability evaluation: multitemporal bathymetric mapping and sediment characteristics

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Coastline is a crucial dynamic transitional zone between land and open water that gets stressed by many environmental elements, which calls for monitoring sustainability. A case study from the southern Iraqi coast represents a dynamic environment experiencing instability due to active erosional and depositional processes. This study uses multitemporal bathymetric maps and geotechnic sediment characteristics to evaluate the stability of the Iraqi coastline in the northwestern Arabian/Persian Gulf. Erosion is the dominant threat, with an average shoreline retreat of − 3.48 m/year over the past 53 years. The construction of the Grand Faw Port has mitigated some erosion by blocking tidal currents and waves. This study underscores the necessity for robust coastal management strategies that encourage the development of sustainable coastal development practices, including the construction of groin walls, native reed planting, restoration of sediment pathways, and legislation for ship movement control in commercial shipping areas, to protect Iraq’s coastline.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Not applicable.

References

  • Al-Aeswi Q, Al Nasrwi AK, Jones BG (2020) Short-term geoinformatics evaluation in the Shatt Al-Arab Delta (Northwestern Arabian/Persian Gulf). J Coast Res 36(3):498–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al Ali JT, Al Mahmoud HK, Adriss A (2012) Studying of topographic and navigation changes of Khor Abdullah Channel. Basrah Res J (Sci) 38(4). https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-320774. (In Arabic)

  • Albadran BN, Albadran A (1993) Sedimentological characteristics of the offshore sediments of the Khor Abdulla entrance NW Arabian Gulf. J Water Res 2(1):17–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Albadran BN, Al-Mulla ST, Abd-Alqader MM (2016) Physiographic study of Shatt Al-Arab delta south of Iraq by application of remote sensing technique. Mesopot J Marine Sci 31(2):169–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Hasem AM (2018) Tidal current behaviors and remarkable bathymetric change in the south-western part of Khor Abdullah, Kuwait. Int J Marine Environ Sci 12(2):118–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Alhumaidan ZA, Al-Jaberi MH, Al-Moswai WM (2023) Assessment the subbottom sedimentary situation for Khor Abdullah, NW Arabian Gulf using sedimentary coring analysis and sub-bottom profile technique. Iraqi Geol J 56(2D):150–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mahdi AA, Mahmood AB (2010) Some features of tidal currents in Khor Abdullah, North West Arabian Gulf. J King Abdul Univ Marine Sci 21(1):162–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Nasrawi AK, Hopley CA, Hamylton SM, Jones BG (2017) A spatio-temporal assessment of landcover and coastal changes at Wandandian delta system, southeastern Australia. J Marine Sci Eng 5(4):55. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse5040055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Nasrawi AK, Hamylton SM, Jones BG, Hopley CA, Al Yazichi YM (2018) Geoinformatics vulnerability predictions of coastal ecosystems to sea-level rise in southeastern Australia. Geomat Nat Haz Risk 9(1):645–661. https://doi.org/10.1080/19475705.2018.1470112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al Ameri, SHM (1992) The nature of the Iraqi shores and protection means. MSc thesis. Engineering Construction Department, Technology University, Baghdad, Iraq. (In Arabic)

  • Chu Z, Sun X, Zhai S, Xu K (2006) Changing pattern of accretion/erosion of the modern Yellow River (Huanghe) subaerial delta, China: based on remote sensing images. Mar Geol 227(1–2):13–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darmoian SA, Lindqvist K (1988) Sediment in the estuarine of the Tigris/Euphrates delta. Iraq Arabian. Gulf Geol J 23:15–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Himmelstoss EA, Henderson RE, Kratzmann MG, Farris AS (2018) Digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS) version 5.0 user guide (No. 2018–1179). In: US Geological Survey. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181179

  • Ihaka R, Gentleman R (1996) R: a language for data analysis and graphics. J Comput Graph Stat 5(3):299–314. https://doi.org/10.1080/10618600.1996.10474713

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Issa BM, Albadran BN, Al-Shahwan MF (2009) Sedimentological and paleontological study of the tidal flat recent sediments of Khor Al-Zubair and Khor Abdullah, northwest Arabian Gulf. Mesopot J Marine Sci 24(2):86–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin J, Chen G, Meng X, Zhang Y, Shi W, Li Y, Yang Y, Jiang W (2022) Prediction of river damming susceptibility by landslides based on a logistic regression model and InSAR techniques: a case study of the Bailong River Basin China. Eng Geol 299:106562

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khalifa AQ (2019) Hydrodynamic of the sediments movement in the southern part of the Shatt al-Arab and north-western of the gulf. Basrah J Sci 2(37):237–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Lafta AA (2023) General characteristics of tidal currents in the entrance of Khor Abdullah, northwest of Arabian Gulf. Oceanologia 65(3):494–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawler DM (1993) The measurement of river bank erosion and lateral channel change: a review. Earth Surf Proc Land 18(9):777–821

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lo PC, Lo W, Chiu YC, Wang TT (2021) Movement characteristics of a creeping slope influenced by river erosion and aggradation: study of Xinwulü River in southeastern Taiwan. Eng Geol 295:106443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marzoq SA (2013) Northern Arabian Gulf a critical area for maritime safety and security. In: World Maritime University Dissertation. 30. https://commons.wmu.se/all_dissertations/30

  • Muttashar WR (2012) Hydrodynamic setting of Khor Abdullah water body in north-west of Arabian Gulf and expected impacts of modern construction ports. Thi Qar Arts J 5(2). (Arabic Article)

  • Muttashar WR, Al-Tai MA, Al-Amari FK, Ali AH (2010) Geotechnical properties of some tidal flat sediments of Khor-Abdullah coast, southern Iraq. Mesopot J Marine Sci 25(1):75–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Muttashar WR, Bryson LS, Woolery E (2019) Determining the effects of depositional processes on consolidation behavior of sediment using shear-wave velocity. Mar Georesour Geotechnol 37(9):1032–1043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muttashar WR, Bryson LS, McGlue M, Woolery E (2020) The integration of grain-size distribution and plasticity parameters for characterizing and classifying unconsolidated fine-grained sediments. Bull Eng Geol Env 79:925–939

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandit R, Parrotta JA, Chaudhary AK, Karlen DL, Vieira DLM, Anker Y, Chen R, Morris J, Harris J, Ntshotsho P (2020) A framework to evaluate land degradation and restoration responses for improved planning and decision-making. Ecosyst People 16(1):1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petrişor AI, Hamma W, Nguyen HD, Randazzo G, Muzirafuti A, Stan M-I, Tran VT, Astefanoaiei R, Bui Q-T, Vintila D-F, Truong QH, Lixandroiu C, Tenea D-D, Sirodoev I, Ianoş I (2020) Degradation of coastlines under the pressure of urbanization and tourism: evidence on the change of land systems from Europe, Asia and Africa. Land 9(8):275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raja H, Omar W, Mounsif I, Duc M (2023) Coastal cliff failures hazard along the Safi coastline (Morocco): a methodology for shoreline change assessment and its forecast along with examination of the causes. Environ Earth Sci 82(10):255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saeedy HS, Mollah MA (1990) Geotechnical study of the north and northwest coast of the Arabian Gulf. Eng Geol 28(1–2):27–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sytnik O, Del Río L, Greggio N, Bonetti J (2018) Historical shoreline trend analysis and drivers of coastal change along the Ravenna coast, NE Adriatic. Environ Earth Sci 77:1–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thieler ER, Himmelstoss EA, Zichichi JL, Ergul A (2009) Digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS) version 4.0—an ArcGIS extension for calculating shoreline change. In: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008–1278

  • UKHO (1966) Admiralty Chart. Hydrographer of Navy chart. No. 3842. United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, UK

  • UKHO (1985) Admiralty chart. In: Hydrographer of Navy chart. No. 2884. United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, UK

  • UKHO (2004) Admiralty chart. In: Hydrographer of Navy chart. No. 1235. United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, UK

  • UKHO (2019) Admiralty chart. In: Hydrographer of Navy chart. No. 1235. United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, UK

  • Waltham AC, Waltham T (2009) Foundations of engineering geology (3rd ed.). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315273488

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Marine Science Center, MSC, at the University of Basrah, in Iraq for providing technical assistance and financial support for the study.

Funding

The authors have not disclosed any funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Science Center, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq

    Wisam R. Muttashar, Qassim M. Al-Aesawi & Dawod S. B. Almayahi

  2. School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia

    Ali K. M. Al-Nasrawi & Brian G. Jones

  3. Geography Department, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq

    Ali K. M. Al-Nasrawi

Authors
  1. Wisam R. Muttashar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qassim M. Al-Aesawi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ali K. M. Al-Nasrawi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dawod S. B. Almayahi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Brian G. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Regarding the authors’ contributions to the paper, Wisam R. Muttashar conceived the research topic, developed the methodology, and wrote the paper. Qassim Al-Aesawi was responsible for data and literature collection. Ali Al-Nasrawi worked on GIS technique and mapping. Dawod Almayahi was responsible for analysis of figures and layout in addition to references. As an Australian native, Brain has thoroughly reviewed, revised, and proofread the language of the paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wisam R. Muttashar.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Muttashar, W.R., Al-Aesawi, Q.M., Al-Nasrawi, A.K.M. et al. Coastline instability evaluation: multitemporal bathymetric mapping and sediment characteristics. Environ Earth Sci 83, 43 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-11375-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-11375-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation