Coast KZN

State of the Coast: KZN
State of the Coast: KZN

State of the Coast: KwaZulu-Natal Chapter 1: Introduction & Background Chapter 2: Overarching Drivers Chapter 3: Climate Variability
Chapter 4: Coastal Environment Chapter 5: Estuarine Environment Chapter 6: Marine Environment Chapter 7: Human Environment Chapter 8: Economic Environment
Chapter 9: Governance Environment Chapter 10: Conclusions
The Profile of the KZN Coast
The Profile of the KZN Coast

Ugu Lwethu- Our Coast Defining the Coastal Zone The Physical and Coastal Environment Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Coastal and Marine Species Migrations The Human Dimension Socio-Economic Uses of the Coast Commercial Resource Uses
Pressures and Threats Management of the Coastal and Marine Environments Understanding our Coast
Coastal access
Coastal access

Access RoutesBoat Launch SitesThe Human DimensionCoastal Access: Stats & Facts
Estuaries
Estuaries

What is an Estuary? Know your Estuaries Estuary Health and Conservation KZN Estuary Observer Programme
Historical Time Series Estuary Mouth Status Sand Mining
Recreation
Recreation

Fish TaggingAccess RoutesBlue Flag Beaches
Coastal risk and vulnerability
Coastal risk and vulnerability

Coastal Risk LinesExtreme EventsCoastal ErosionKZN Coastal Vulnerability IndexPollution
Coastal issues
Coastal issues

PollutionSand MiningCoastal ErosionNurdlesUPL Chemical Spill
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17 Feb 2011

Climate change will affect coastal property

Megan van den Heever (Daily News)

“Coastal property along KwaZulu-Natal beaches would “inevitably” be affected by the impact of climate change, new research undertaken by the eThekwini Municipality’s engineering department has shown.“

An unpublished thesis by a city engineer, Stefano Corbella, has discovered that the shape of KZN beaches was likely to alter over time due to an increased change of wind and wave action.

“Climate change is resulting in an increase of wave energy and an imbalance in the seasonal cycle. The more energy in a wave, the more it erodes against the sandy strip of the beach,” said Corbella’s supervisor, Andrew Mather, a department engineer who has also done research into rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

Corbella, who recently graduated with a masters degree in coastal engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, could not be reached for an interview yesterday, but Mather spoke highly of his work.

“This research will provide information at our fingertips, which will assist in long-term planning of coastal developmental projects,” he said.

An increase in wave energy over time would result in a “beach retreat” – an erosion and displacement of sediments – said Mather, who is also in charge of the city’s coastal policy projects.

“Over a period of years, the beach will become much narrower and water will move more inland.”
A change in wind direction, also caused by climate change, would affect the profile or shape of the beach, he said.

Meanwhile, a new interactive, computer-based tool was launched on Tuesday to assist coastal managers in identifying areas along the coast that were “vulnerable” to erosion and rising sea levels.

The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) was developed in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development and the Oceanic Research institute (ORI), with other local stakeholders.

“Our principle objective was to inform management of areas identified as at risk, as well as potentially at risk,” said ORI scientist, Bronwyn Palmer.

In addition to levels and locations of vulnerability, the index would also identify sensitive ecological areas and sites of known historical erosion, said Palmer.

From data measured by the index, KZN showed an alarming 47 percent at moderate risk and 23 percent at high risk in coastlands, the higher ranking areas falling more on the South Coast.

Described as a “breakthrough in technology”, the tool would be distributed free of charge.

KZN MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development, Lydia Johnson, said that the department would ensure that coastal management principles and practices were incorporated into municipalities’ and districts’ development plans.

 

 

Online Article