Human Impact and Rates of Shore Retreat Along the Black Sea Coast

Authors

  • Yuri D. Shuisky
  • Maurice L. Schwartz

Keywords:

Beach erosion, Bulgaria, cliff retreat, erosion rates, Rumania, shore drift, Soviet Union, Turkey

Abstract

The coast of the Black Sea is 4431 km in length, 47% of which is actively eroding. Much of the coast consists of cliffs, divided into three types: rockfall, landslide, denudation. Cliff erosion rates, for these types are: 0.3-0.5 m/yr to 4-5 m/yr; 0.1-0.3 to 2-3 m/yr; and 0.01 to 0.2 m/yr, respectively. Beach sediment available is: 5-7 m3/m/yr in the Odessa region; 5-6 m3/m/yr in the Western Crimea; and 3-6 m3/m/yr on the Rumanian and Bulgarian coasts. Human impact has greatly accelerated erosion rates at many coastal sites; and there has been a policy change, from engineered structures to artificial nourishment, in dealing with this problem.

Author Biographies

Yuri D. Shuisky

Maurice L. Schwartz

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Published

1988-07-02

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (1988): Journal of Coastal Research

Section

Articles

License

Authorization for personal use is granted by the Coastal Education and Research Foundation [CERF]. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the copyright for their article is transferred to the publisher if the article is accepted for publication. Assignment of copyright is not required, however, from authors who work for organizations which do not permit such assignment, The copyright covers the exclusive rights to reprduce and distribute the article, inclduing reprints, photographic reproductions, microform, or any other reproductions of a similar nature, and translations.