Methodology to coastal vulnerability mapping to mean sea level rise in local scale

This paper presents methodology to coastal vulnerability mapping to Mean Sea Level (MSL) rise in local scale, with case study at waterfront of Madre de Deus Island, Baía de Todos os Santos, Bahia, Brazil. This waterfront is densely occupied by residential quarters and oil industry facilities. For this, coastal vulnerability indexes were used based on combination of four geological variables (geomorphology, slope, elevation and erosion/accretion rate at beach face) obtained in seasonal surveys (summer and winter) of georeferenced and levelling beach profiles relative to MSL, and three variables of coastal physical processes (MSL rate of rise, significant wave height and mean average tidal range). The map represented the variation of relative vulnerability over distinct sectors along the coastline making it possible to identify the most critical combination of variables, i.e., i.e., anthropogenic interventions priority areas for reduction of vulnerabilities, through strategies for prevention, mitigation and/or socioeconomic and environmental adaptation to the impacts of MSL rise. The results showed high potential for application of the methodology in waterfront sectors whose small extension requires detail scale mapping.

Keywords:
Coastal Vulnerability Index; beach profile; mean sea level rise