Contribution of Google Earth and Images from the Sentinel-2 Satellite to the Monitoring of the Silting of Cap Djinet Harbor (Algeria)

Abstract

In this study, we integrate remote sensing in oceanographic studies and coastal engineering projects by using satellite images to extract the values of suspended matter in the water and track sediment transport along the coastline. We used Sentinel-2 products and Case 2 Regional Coastcolor (C2RCC) plugin to extract Total Suspended Matter (TSM) values on the Algerian coast for the last six years to construct a database for future studies. We then used the processed products to assess sediment transport in the region of Cap Djinet, where the fishing port suffers from a notably high sedimentation phenomenon. In the last part of the study, we tried to find a correlation between TSM-extracted values and measured depths. Remote sensing was also combined with in situ depth measurements, which we used to construct a bathymetric map of the port. Using satellite imagery, we could assess the damage done to the port throughout the years. We were also able to understand better the causes of this problem, which helped us determine why the solutions implemented by the authorities did not work.