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Coastal zones are naturally dynamic and mobile systems exposed to natural factors (river flows, waves and storms) as well as human interventions that continuously reshape their morphology. Erosion phenomena related to extreme weather events and sediment scarcity are common, threatening buildings and infrastructures, as well as beaches, ecosystems and valuable wetland; conditions that pose challenges to coastal security and defence. Regular monitoring of coastal areas, assessment of their morphodynamics and identification of the processes influencing sediment transport are thus increasingly important for a better understanding of changes and evolutionary trends in coastal systems. This demands a multidisciplinary approach involving researchers with expertise in coastal processes and state-of-the-art observation technologies. In this paper state-of-the-art surveying methods for an efficient quantification of changes in coastal environments are described and evaluated, and two NW-Portuguese case studies are presented. Survey methods included: topographic surveys based on terrestrial videogrammetric mobile mapping and aerial photogrammetry; sub-tidal bathymetry with sonar imagery using an Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV); as well as field observations, with sediment sampling and beach characterisation. In the first case study, erosion/accretion patterns in the Douro estuary sand spit were analysed, considering its breakwater, river flow, wave and wind effects. Prior to the construction of a detached breakwater, the spit's morphodynamics was related to extreme river flow events, wave and wind conditions; afterwards the spit stabilized its shape and increased its area and volume. In the second case study the coast of Vila Nova de Gaia was broadly analysed, including the shoreface, foreshore and dunes, the characterization of major features and a short-period analysis of installed dynamics. Results obtained from field data, topographical surveys and numerical wave models were combined for an erosion risk assessment, using a methodology specifically developed for the study area. Both monitoring programs achieved their proposed objectives and provided valuable information to the local authorities, as gathered and processed information constitutes a valuable database for coastal planning and for ICZM purposes. They demonstrate the potential of several approaches, supported by advanced technologies, for the study of complex coastal morphodynamic processes.

Estuarine and coastal areas have been intensively studied given their complexity, ecological, and societal value and the importance of their ecosystem services. Estuarine and coastal management must be based on a sound characterization of these areas, which is achievable complementing the comprehensive field measurements with numerical models solutions. Based on a detailed comparison between two close-by, but extremely different, Portuguese estuaries (the Douro and Minho estuaries), this chapter intends to discuss how accurately numerical modeling tools can provide relevant information for a variety of coastal zones. They can be very useful for various applications in the planning and management fields, such as coastal and infrastructures protection, harbor activities, fisheries, tourism, and coastal population safety, thus supporting an effective and integrated estuarine and coastal management, which must consider both the safety of the populations and the sustainability of the marine ecosystems and services. In particular, the capacity of the numerical models to give a detailed characterization of morpho-hydrodynamic processes, as well as assess and predict the effects of anthropogenic interventions, extreme events and climate change effects, are presented.