From massive seawalls to mangrove conservation, coastal communities around the world are implementing a range of solutions to protect themselves against rising water levels and strong winds. Sometimes these measures are sufficient. Other times retreat is the only option. When applied right, technology can mitigate or delay some of the worst impacts of climate change.
Innovation examples
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Innovation examplesDutch sand motor: a nature-based solution
Getty Images /©Frans SelliesOn the Delfland coast of the Netherlands, public and private actors have implemented a beach nourishment project that integrates localized natural processes. A huge amount of sand (21.5m m3) extracted offshore was deposited along the coast in one operation, forming a hook-shaped peninsula. This structure protects against erosion and sea level rise. But more importantly it provides sand for redistribution further along the coast by local currents and erosion processes. Coastal degradation is delayed by creating a large repository of sand to feed costal erosion processes. This so-called sand motor was implemented in 2011 and is expected to remain active for 20 years. Further beach nourishment is unnecessary during this period. In addition, the structure provides novel recreational opportunities and has created habitats for flora and fauna.[1] [2] This idea is being implemented in Benin and Togo as part of a World Bank-financed coastal protection project targeting 40 km of coastline.[3]
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Innovation examplesApplying sophisticated coastal process modelling
Getty Images/© LBailsThe Adelaide shoreline in southern Australia has experienced continued partial coastal erosion and shoreline recession. Using MIKE 21 software from the DHI company, including models for hydrodynamic flow, waves and shoreline morphology and detailed local coastal models were created. Based on these models, six management scenarios were simulated. They comprised combinations of soft management options such as beach nourishment and hard structures. For each scenario, the morphological evolution of the entire West Beach shoreline was simulated for a 7.5-year period for comparative assessment of their respective pros and cons. Alternative management strategy modelling was a crucial element in developing the long-term coastal management strategy subsequently adopted by the South Australian Government.[1] [2]
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Innovation examplesRe-establishment of hydrological conditions for mangrove
Getty Images /©BruskovMangrove forests are often destroyed by local infrastructure development. This makes coastal communities more vulnerable to climate change impacts. In Progreso on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a highway construction disrupted the flow of tidal and surface runoff water. This increased salinity which then destroyed mangrove and other natural vegetation. In response, hydro-dynamic modelling was used to identify the best sites for implementing mitigation measures. Natural tidal channels were recovered, new channels constructed and terrain levelled. Natural hydrological flow and salinity levels were both restored and the mangrove forests recovered. The mangrove forest that was recovered protects against weather events and coastal erosion. A comprehensive guide to mangrove reforestation was produced based on lessons learned from the project.[1]
Proven technologies
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Proven technologiesSplit barge, dredging and pumping vessels for beach nourishment
Mavi Deniz
Photo: © Mavi DenizMavi Deniz has a large fleet of vessels that can undertake various beach nourishment tasks. Split barges, as well as dredging and pumping vessels, are available. The company manufactures and supplies equipment, vessels and services to more than 55 countries worldwide. The Split Hopper Barge for example, is a vessel designed to carry all kinds of dredged material, such as sand for beach nourishment. It is a dredging vessel that can split over its longitudinal axis to discharge the dredged material.
- Contracting type: Services
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: Türkiye
- Availability: Worldwide
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Proven technologiesSmall versatile dredging vessels
IMS Dredges
Getty Images /© Rike_IMS Dredges supplies one-truck transportable, self-propelled hydraulic dredges plus dredging systems for maintaining rivers, lakes, canals and inland waterways. The Versi-Dredge can construct a beach by pumping sand onto low-lying land and has replenished many beaches in Belize, Mexico and the Turks and Caicos. These relatively small units are versatile and deploy several patented technologies.
- Contracting type: For sale
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: United States
- Availability: Worldwide
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Proven technologiesBeach nourishment vessels
Boskalis
Getty Images /© Nigel Wiggins / EyeEmBoskalis is a large Dutch company offering a variety of marine services. They include hard-structure costal protection and beach nourishment. The company has a large fleet of vessels operating worldwide. For beach nourishment, several vessels are used including a trailing suction hopper dredger. This dredger collects sand from the seabed and deposits it either through floating and submerged pipelines, rainbowing or offloading through the vessel bottom. The company is also involved in the development and implementation of nature-based costal protection methods.
- Contracting type: Services
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: Netherlands
- Availability: Worldwide
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Proven technologiesSynthetic revetments, dykes, levees, jetties, groynes and breakwaters
TenCate Geosynthetics
Getty Images /© shunli zhaoBuilt coastal and marine infrastructure to protect from floods and erosion can comprise many types of materials. They include rock, concrete, stone and wood. Tencate Geosynthetics provides such solutions in a synthetic material. For example, the TenCate Geotube® is a large tube made of an engineered textile filled with sand that can be used as breakwaters, groynes and jetties. In terms of beach nourishment, the shoreline can be protected from wave impact energy by applying several kilometers of these tubes. The Geotube® can also be deployed during land reclamation, wetland creation and to protect against hurricane and storm erosion.
- Contracting type: Service/For sale
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: The Netherlands
- Availability: Worldwide
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Proven technologiesBiodykes
Practical Action
Getty Images /©CHUNYIP WONGWhen engineered flood-protection structures such as gabion walls and concrete dykes are unsuitable or affordable, biodykes can be a low-cost alternative. Biodykes are constructed using locally-sourced materials such as sand, rocks, soil, shrubs and bamboo. The organization Practical Action has developed a technical brief (in English) which details how to build biodykes along a river. The brief covers technical aspects, as well as financial and social considerations. Principles include maintaining an adequate river bank slope and then building a dyke along the slope and length of the river using bamboo. The dyke is then filled with sand bags and covered with fertile soil to provide a basis for vegetation. In addition to flood control, the technique can be used to manage slope instability in mountainous and hilly areas so as to mitigate against mudslides.
- Contracting type: Locally available materials
- Technology level: Low
- Country of origin: N/A
- Availability: Worldwide
Frontier technologies
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Frontier technologiesHydrological modelling
DHI
Getty Images /© MangiwauDHI provides a set of software products (under the label MIKE Powered by DHI) for use in water environments to analyze, model and simulate various types of water-related challenges. For example, a multitude of coastal parameters, such as waves, sediment dynamics and ecological systems, can be modelled in 2D and 3D to support coastal engineering structures. Hydrological models can also be built so as to understand upstream hydrology and water flow feedback and interaction. This enables the development of strategies for managing rivers, reservoirs and canals to reduce downstream flooding. While the technology is proven and has been used for decades, it is continuously evolving.
- Contracting type: Service
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: Denmark
- Availability: Worldwide
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Frontier technologiesAerial imaging in support of wetland restoration
Nearmap
Getty Images /©KNevilleAerial imaging can support land managers in modelling water movement and landscape change. Nearmap provides high-resolution aerial satellite maps of urban areas across Australia. However, the technology has also recently been used by indigenous landowners to learn more about how water flows to wetlands and rivers. Combined with artificial intelligence tools, data from aerial imagery is fed into maps that aid wetland restoration by the Australian Nature Conservancy. Nearmap data complements manual and drone-based hydrological monitoring and shows changes over time.
- Contracting type: Service
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: Australia
- Availability: Australia
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Frontier technologiesBreakwater reef balls
Reef Innovations
Getty Images /©ookinate23Reef BallsTM in coastal areas have the dual benefit of reducing wave impact while providing a habitat for marine life. A hollow concrete structure, Reef BallsTM can protect the coast against erosion by dissipating incoming waves. When placed in parallel to the shore, reef balls can act as a breakwater. Compared to traditional breakwaters, Reef BallsTM may provide additional economic benefits due to being fabricated on-site using a mold system and deployed using lift bags rather than barges and cranes.
- Contracting type: For sale
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: United States
- Availability: Worldwide
Horizon technologies
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4. Water and coastal regions / Coastal protection / Horizon technologiesWave conversion technology
Seabased
Getty Images /© NaeblysPatents for leveraging the energy of waves date back to the 18th century. But wave energy is still considered to be in the developmental phase. Recent advances include solutions that integrate wave energy converters with coastal protection structures such as breakwaters. However, such structures are generally not located where wave intensity is highest. In order to provide the dual function of absorbing wave energy to produce energy, but also to reduce erosion by minimizing the impact of waves on the coast, wave farms have been proposed as a solution. Wave farms have been shown to be able to influence coastal morphodynamics and reduce dune and beach erosion.[1] One example of a company that produces wave energy converters (WEC) often used in wind farms is Seabased. The company develops floating buoy-type wave energy converters and has supplied its products to wave farms throughout Europe and in Africa.
- Contracting type: For sale
- Technology level: High
- Country of origin: Sweden
- Availability: Worldwide
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