Numerical models for coastal zone management

The basic equations for modelling two-dimensional hydrodynamics and transport in estuaries and coastal regions have been developed. By using the finite element method, it is possible to transform the model into a discretized counterpart. The model has been applied in order to study the dispersion of an effluent within the Bay of Santander. The results obtained by means of a computer program are discussed.

Coastal floods and decadal changes: the climate factor

Observation has widely shown for nearly all last century that the Spanish (Dynamic) Maritime Climate was following around 10 to 11 year cycles in its most significant figure, wind wave, despite it being better to register cycles of 20 to 22 years, in analogical way with the semi-diurnal and diurnal cycles of Cantabrian tides. Those cycles were soon linked to sun activity and, at the end of the century, the latter was related to the Solar System evolution. We know now that waves and storm surges are coupled and that (Dynamic) Maritime Climate forms part of a more complex “Thermal Machine” including Hydrological cycle. The analysis of coastal floods could so facilitate the extension of that experience. According to their immediate cause, simple flood are usually sorted out into flash, pluvial, fluvial, groundwater and coastal types, considering the last as caused by sea waters. But the fact is that most of coastal floods are the result of the concomitance of several former simple types. Actually, the several Southeastern Mediterranean coastal flood events show to be the result of the superposition within the coastal zone of flash, fluvial, pluvial and groundwater flood types under boundary condition imposed by the concomitant storm sea level rise. This work shall be regarded as an attempt to clarify that cyclic experience, through an in-depth review of a past flood events in Valencia (Turia and Júcar basins), as in Murcia (Segura’s) as well.

Metodología para la caracterización de zonas costeras basada en un modelo sistémico

Las obras de infraestructura que construye el ser humano para optimizar los recursos naturales y satisfacer sus necesidades, producen impactos tanto positivos como negativos en el ambiente. México cuenta con una gran cantidad de recursos naturales y lugares que han sido favorecidos por la naturaleza, donde la sobrecarga de las actividades antropogénicas genera problemas de impacto ambiental, especialmente en las zonas costeras y en su entorno. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue aportar información acerca de las principales presiones que recibe el sistema y cómo esto afecta a las propuestas de soluciones integrales y a la capacidad para recuperar el estado de equilibrio en las zonas costeras. En la presente investigación, se desarrolló una metodología para la caracterización de zonas costeras, basada en un modelo sistémico, con el propósito de tener una herramienta de planificación para proyectos ambientalmente sustentables, integrando una base de datos con las mejores prácticas de planificación, lo que facilitará el diagnóstico y la evaluación de la capacidad adaptativa de recuperación del sistema. Asimismo, se utilizó un modelo sistémico como una metodología para organizar la gran complejidad que implica la interrelación e interconexión que existe entre los múltiples componentes, y con ello obtener el conocimiento para su caracterización. Con base en el modelo de Zachman, se realizó un análisis para la detección de las fortalezas y debilidades del sistema, lo que permitió visualizar el impacto de los riesgos a que está expuesta una zona costera. Las principales aportaciones de este trabajo fueron el desarrollo de la FICHA DE CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LA ZONA COSTERA y la inclusión, en dicha ficha, de la estimación del nivel de la resiliencia física, ambiental, social, económica y política. La metodología propuesta, es una aportación que permite integrar los componentes, las relaciones e interconexiones que existen en el sistema costero. La metodología tiene la ventaja de ser flexible y se pueden agregar o desechar componentes de acuerdo a las particularidades de cada caso de estudio; adicionalmente, se propone utilizar esta herramienta como ayuda en el monitoreo periódico del sistema. Lo anterior como parte de un observatorio integrado al Sistema Nacional de Gestión Costera que se propone como parte de futuras líneas de investigación. Como caso de estudio, se realizó la caracterización del complejo sistema Banco Chinchorro, lo que resultó en la inclusión (en la FICHA DE CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LA ZONA COSTERA), de las lecciones aprendidas con la detección de buenas y malas prácticas, esto redundó en la mejora de la metodología propuesta para la gestión de la zona costera. All infrastructures that build the human being to optimize natural resources and meet their needs, generate both, positive and negative impacts on the environment, since the acquisition and transformation of resources in coastal areas affect their balance. Mexico has a large number of natural resources and places that have been favored by nature, whereas the overhead of anthropogenic activities leads to problems of environmental impact, especially in coastal areas and in its surroundings. The aim of this study was to provide information about the main pressures that a system receives and how this affects the proposed solutions and the ability to restore the state of balance in coastal areas. In this research, a methodology for the characterization of coastal zones, based on a systemic model, in order to develop a planning tool for environmentally sustainable projects, was developed, integrating a database with the best practices for planning, conservation and balance of coastal areas. This will facilitate the diagnosis and evaluation of the adaptive resilience of the system. A systemic model was used as a methodology to organize the vast complexity of the relationship and interconnection between the multiple components, and so thus gain knowledge for its characterization. Based on the Zachman model, an analysis to detect the strengths and weaknesses of the system was performed, allowing visualizing the impact of the risks that the coastal zone is exposed to. The main contributions of this study was the development of the COASTAL CHARACTERIZATION RECORD, and the inclusion, on that record, of the estimation of the physical, environmental, social, economic and political resilience. The proposed methodology is a contribution that allows integrating the components, relationships and interconnections existing in the coastal system. The methodology has the advantage of being flexible and components can be added or discarded according to the particularities of each case study; Additionally, this is not only a diagnostic tool, it is proposed to use it as an aid in monitoring periodically the system, this as part of an integrated monitoring into the National System of Coastal Management that is proposed as part of future research. As a case study, the characterization of the coastal zone “Banco Chinchorro” was done, resulting in the inclusion, in the COASTAL CHARACTERIZATION RECORD, of the documented lessons learned from the good and bad practices detection, improvement of the methodology proposed for the management of the coastal zone.

Unconformity-bounded stratigraphic units (UBSUs) in an italian alluvial-plain area: recognizing and dating

We studied the coastal zone of the Tavoliere di Puglia plain, (Puglia region, southern Italy) with the aim to recognize the main unconformities, and therefore, the unconformity-bounded stratigraphic units (UBSUs; Salvador 1987, 1994) forming its Quaternary sedimentary fill. Recognizing unconformities is particularly problematic in an alluvial plain, due to the difficulties in distinguishing the unconformities that bound the UBSUs. So far, the recognition of UBSUs in buried successions has been made mostly by using seismic profiles. Instead, in our case, the unavailability of the latter has prompted us to address the problem by developing a methodological protocol consisting of the following steps: I) geological survey in the field; II) draft of a preliminary geological setting based on the field-survey results; III) dating of 102 samples coming from a large number of boreholes and some outcropping sections by means of the amino acid racemization (AAR) method applied to ostracod shells and 14C dating, filtering of the ages and the selection of valid ages; IV) correction of the preliminary geological setting in the light of the numerical ages; definition of the final geological setting with UBSUs; identification of a ‘‘hypothetical’’ or ‘‘attributed time range’’ (HTR or ATR) for each UBSU, the former very wide and subject to a subsequent modification, the latter definitive; V) cross-checking between the numerical ages and/or other characteristics of the sedimentary bodies and/or the sea-level curves (with their effects on the sedimentary processes) in order to restrict also the hypothetical time ranges in the attributed time ranges. The successful application of AAR geochronology to ostracod shells relies on the fact that the ability of ostracods to colonize almost all environments constitutes a tool for correlation, and also allow the inclusion in the same unit of coeval sediments that differ lithologically and paleoenvironmentally. The treatment of the numerical ages obtained using the AAR method required special attention. The first filtering step was made by the laboratory (rejection criteria a and b). Then, the second filtering step was made by testing in the field the remaining ages. Among these, in fact, we never compared an age with a single preceding and/or following age; instead, we identified homogeneous groups of numerical ages consistent with their reciprocal stratigraphic position. This operation led to the rejection of further numerical ages that deviate erratically from a larger, homogeneous age population which fits well with its stratigraphic position (rejection criterion c). After all of the filtering steps, the valid ages that remained were used for the subdivision of the sedimentary sequences into UBSUs together with the lithological and paleoenvironmental criteria. The numerical ages allowed us, in the first instance, to recognize all of the age gaps between two consecutive samples. Next, we identified the level, in the sedimentary thickness that is between these two samples, that may represent the most suitable UBSU boundary based on its lithology and/or the paleoenvironment. The recognized units are: I) Coppa Nevigata sands (NEA), HTR: MIS 20–14, ATR: MIS 17–16; II) Argille subappennine (ASP), HTR: MIS 15–11, ATR: MIS 15–13; III) Coppa Nevigata synthem (NVI), HTR: MIS 13–8, ATR: MIS 12–11; IV) Sabbie di Torre Quarto (STQ), HTR: MIS 13–9.1, ATR: MIS 11; V) Amendola subsynthem (MLM1), HTR: MIS 12–10, ATR: MIS 11; VI) Undifferentiated continental unit (UCI), HTR: MIS 11–6.2, ATR: MIS 9.3–7.1; VII) Foggia synthem (TGF), ATR: MIS 6; VIII) Masseria Finamondo synthem (TPF), ATR: Upper Pleistocene; IX) Carapelle and Cervaro streams synthem (RPL), subdivided into: IXa) Incoronata subsynthem (RPL1), HTR: MIS 6–3; ATR: MIS 5–3; IXb) Marane La Pidocchiosa–Castello subsynthem (RPL3), ATR: Holocene; X) Masseria Inacquata synthem (NAQ), ATR: Holocene. The possibility of recognizing and dating Quaternary units in an alluvial plain to the scale of a marine isotope stage constitutes a clear step forward compared with similar studies regarding other alluvial-plain areas, where Quaternary units were dated almost exclusively using their stratigraphic position. As a result, they were generically associated with a geological sub-epoch. Instead, our method allowed a higher detail in the timing of the sedimentary processes: for example, MIS 11 and MIS 5.5 deposits have been recognized and characterized for the first time in the study area, highlighting their importance as phases of sedimentation.

Expansión y transformación del territorio : la ineficiencia de los fraccionamientos urbanizados : zona conurbada de Veracruz, México

La expansión de la ciudad y zona conurbada de Veracruz, se encuentra en una dinámica en donde convergen el medio artificial construido por el hombre y que ha generado una ciudad fragmentada; el medio natural, en el que se encuentran importantes componentes ecosistémicos de la zona costera; las políticas y estrategias que establecen los cinco Programas de ordenamiento urbano vigentes, sujetos al patrón de acumulación de capital, favoreciendo los intereses de la iniciativa privada. Bajo este panorama encontramos un territorio complejo que se encuentra cada vez más vulnerado y en riesgo de que los sistemas humano y natural colapsen. Lo anterior se evidencia en los nuevos desarrollos urbanizados, a partir del estudio de la problemática que presentan los fraccionamientos habitacionales, donde cada vez son más vulnerables, lo que constata su ineficiencia dentro del sistema urbano. ABSTRACT The expansion of the city and metropolitan area of Veracruz, is in a dynamic where converge the artificial environment built by the man and that has generated a fragmented city; natural environment, in which there are important ecosystem components of the coastal zone; policies and strategies that establish the five existing urban planning programs, subject to the pattern of accumulation of capital, favoring the private enterprises interests. Under this scenario is found a complex area that is more vulnerable every time and at risk of human and natural systems collapse. The above mentioned is evident in the new urbanized development, from studies of the problem posed by housing developments, finding that more and more vulnerable, which finds its inefficiency within the urban system.