Sediment bypassing from the new human-induced lobe to the ancient lobe of the turbo delta (gulf of Urabá, southern caribbean sea)

Artificial river diversions cause intense and unpredictable changes in the geomorphological evolution and sedimentary dynamics of deltas. This study analyzes the effects of the 1958 course diversion of the Turbo River delta, Gulf of Urabá, southern Caribbean Sea. Recent satellite images were analyzed and beach topography was monitored to obtain the shoreline migration and sediment budget; surface sediments were seasonally sampled, and their grain size parameters were determined; and seasonal sediment transport directions were deduced according to grain size trends. It was concluded that the bimodal wave regime controls the seasonal sedimentary patterns associated with southward longshore transport during both the dry and rainy seasons, and the northward longshore transport occurs in the midsummer drought. Beach morphodynamics of Yarumal Point, close to the present-day river mouth, show that this is the most exposed sector to waves, whereas fluvial sediment inputs are evidenced by a decrease in mean grain size and by poorly sorted sediments in the rainy season. A new spit is forming in Yarumal Point, with an intense increase in area and a westward progradation related to high fluvial sediment inputs from the La Niña event of 2010–12 and low erosion from the El Niño events of 2009–10 and 2015–16. In the central sector, longshore drift has formed the Yarumal barrier spit with a southeastward progradation that recently closed the interdistributary El Uno Bay. Consequently, a humaninduced sand barrier–lagoon system resulted with a stable or slightly regressive shoreline. Moreover, the Yarumal barrier spit has generated a new sediment bypass to Barajas Beach in the northern limit of the Las Vacas spit (i.e. the ancient delta lobe). Therefore, there is an unusual accretion of the abandoned delta lobe by sediment supply from the new lobe

Process control in the geneses and evolution of a lagoon-barrier system inside of the patos lagoon, south of Brazil

The origin and geological evolution of a complex of a beach ridgeplain in the Feitoria lagoon-barrier, located on the western margin of the southern cell Patos lagoon, Brazil was influenced by the interactions between the alocyclic (climate change and relative sea level) and autocyclic (sediment supply, waves, longshore drift and storm surges) forcing. The study of this regressive beach ridgeplain included the analysis of orthophotos; topographic detail (PRO-XRS Trimble®-post-processed); and shallow geophysical data with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), 150, 200 and 400 MHz antennae, combined with facies analysis and radiocarbon dating (AMS) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) from shallow borehole samples. The analysis of orthophotos allowed for the definition of at least nine morphologically distinct series of progradation, marked by truncations of progressive orientation changes. The integration of topographically corrected GPR data, sedimentary records, and geochronological data determined the beginning of the progradation occurred at 7.2 kaBP. At the beginning of progradation, the low tide terrace was at the height of 1.9m (EGM96) Above the Sea Current Level (ASCL). The swash zone was in the 2.5m, and the crest reached 4.3m ASCL. Currently, the low tide terrace quota is -0.4m, the swash zone to 0.3m and the crest reaches 2.1m ASCL. Among other factors, the fall of the lagoon base levels was associated with sea level fall during the Holocene regression. However, crest construction control is dependent on the lagoon base level oscillation, which in turn is controlled by the precipitation regime and storms surges. Moreover, these results suggest that the orientation of the ridges was controlled by changes in the internal lagoon hydrodynamics, due to the progressive narrowing of the lagoon connection with the open ocean

Multiannual shore morphodynamics of a cuspate foreland: Maspalomas (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands)

On a cuspate sandy foreland, the cycle of beach erosion and recovery is driven by the bi-directional approaches of wave climates, which also determine its specific shape. This work describes the seasonal morphodynamics of the Maspalomas natural cuspate foreland over a period of six years. This area, located in the south of Gran Canaria Island, consists of two beaches with different shoreline orientation, Maspalomas Beach and El Inglés Beach, converging to La Bajeta Tip at the head of the foreland. Shoreline variability and three-dimensional beach changes were measured and coupled to wave energy and longshore currents. From wave analysis, 112 storm events were identified over the period in focus. These events most frequently came from the northeast and in summer, which is consistent with the strong northeasterly trade winds between April and September. However, the strongest storms from the southwest were found to be the main cause of intense shoreline retreats, of up to 100 and 200 m, at Maspalomas Beach and La Bajeta Tip, respectively. The Maspalomas Beach sector showed interannual variability, with a general trend of erosion, whereas La Bajeta Tip demonstrated faster beach recovery. In contrast, El Inglés Beach sector presented a stable shoreline, in spite of the occurrence of wave storms approaching from northeast or southwest. Consequently, results indicate that energetic waves play a significant role in shoreline dynamics and Maspalomas landform shape. Post-storm sand recovery processes do not only occur during calm periods, but also during energetic events. The findings of this study have improved the understanding of seasonal and multiannual cuspate foreland morphodynamics, setting the groundwork for a potential long-term evolution model of Maspalomas coast.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. UID/AMB/50017/2019Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481B2016/141-