Along wave-dominated sedimentary coasts, risks posed by chronic coastal erosion and rising sea levels during this century have received much attention. However, extreme wave runup during large storms are still poorly characterised at large spatial scales, and can contribute significantly to coastal flooding and erosion. This creates an important challenge for coastal management and adaptation planning. This work presents a national-scale storm impact assessment for Scotland’s wave-dominated sand and gravel coasts. It uses readily available national and European datasets to model extreme total water levels that include storm wave runup, tides, storm surge and changes in mean sea level. Future impacts are assessed by integrating likely climate-driven changes to storm forcing and coastal morphology. Outputs estimate the likely storm impact regime at 50 m alongshore transects in Scotland’s natural sand and gravel coasts for the present day, 2050 and 2100, considering climate change scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Results indicate 65%, 11% and 4% of transects currently experience collision, overwash and inundation as the most severe storm impact. Towards 2100, transects in overwash and inundation increase to 20% (22%) for RCP4.5 (RCP8.5), but local increases vary considerably between coastal cells. This study contributes to a strategic, national scale understanding of coastal risk that supports the spatial prioritisation of areas in need of proactive adaptation solutions.

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Storm Impact Assessment for Scotland’s Wave-Dominated Sedimentary Coasts

  • Nicola Horsburgh,
  • Carlos Loureiro,
  • Martin Hurst,
  • Alistair Rennie,
  • Andrew Tyler

摘要

Along wave-dominated sedimentary coasts, risks posed by chronic coastal erosion and rising sea levels during this century have received much attention. However, extreme wave runup during large storms are still poorly characterised at large spatial scales, and can contribute significantly to coastal flooding and erosion. This creates an important challenge for coastal management and adaptation planning. This work presents a national-scale storm impact assessment for Scotland’s wave-dominated sand and gravel coasts. It uses readily available national and European datasets to model extreme total water levels that include storm wave runup, tides, storm surge and changes in mean sea level. Future impacts are assessed by integrating likely climate-driven changes to storm forcing and coastal morphology. Outputs estimate the likely storm impact regime at 50 m alongshore transects in Scotland’s natural sand and gravel coasts for the present day, 2050 and 2100, considering climate change scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Results indicate 65%, 11% and 4% of transects currently experience collision, overwash and inundation as the most severe storm impact. Towards 2100, transects in overwash and inundation increase to 20% (22%) for RCP4.5 (RCP8.5), but local increases vary considerably between coastal cells. This study contributes to a strategic, national scale understanding of coastal risk that supports the spatial prioritisation of areas in need of proactive adaptation solutions.