Efectos de los temporales de invierno de 2014 sobre la costa asturiana

Abstract

The extraordinary storm-waves in early February and March 2014 together with strong winds of 90 km/h and significant wave height up to 11 m in the coastline, coincided with spring high tides. They caused large-scale erosionson mixed and sand beaches and on the dune fronts, which irreversibly retreated several meters, including some externalestuarine sections, as well as numerous damages in civil works. On the most affected beaches large sand volumes were removed from the emerged belt, concentrating gravel fractions, to the submerged shallow area but deeper than usual. Lesser extent, a reduced transfer of sand and/or gravel took place to the seafront promenades and sand mantles intruded upstream from the sandy estuarine bays and low retreat on some estuarine dunes. Several field inspections were repeatedly carried out, most repeated to know the sedimentary fills in the beaches, the mechanisms of replacement in the medium and/or long-term, the evolution of the dune fields and the fill patterns in the lower estuarine areas. Different models of erosion/recovery are proposed, based on the pre-equilibrium situation, including the first direct records controlling each evolution after the summer, until the beginning of the winter of 2014 with stormwaves. This experience will allow to establish the future evolution trends best related to sea level rise.