Environmental impacts of single and successive breakwaters along the Mediterranean coastline at Radès–Ezzahra, NE Tunisia

Environmental impact of submerged and emerged breakwaters

“…Tombolos and salients are produced by emerged breakwaters. The effectiveness of emerged breakwaters and the formation of tombolos or salients, are dependent on relationships amongst the shoreline-breakwater distance, the breakwater’s length, and the gap width ( Ramanujam and Sudarsan, 2003 ; Razak and Nor, 2018 ; Saidi et al., 2012a ). Saidi et al.…”

“…Updrift deposition and downdrift erosion are other consequences after installing emerged breakwaters. A study by Saidi et al. (2012a) provided evidence of beach response to the emerged breakwater construction.…”

“…Submerged and emerged breakwaters have been negatively criticized for their rip current effects ( Chang et al., 2018 ; Frihy et al., 2004 ; Liu and Wu, 2022 ; Yin et al., 2018 ). Although gaps between emerged breakwaters are necessary for constant water exchange, they induce tombolos, rip currents, scouring, and bed irregularities ( Frihy et al., 2004 ; Jackson et al., 2015 ; Razak and Nor, 2018 ; Saidi et al., 2012a ). These physical impacts are what the eyes can see and have been extensively studied, both in the field and in laboratories.…”

Distribution and assessment of trace metal contamination in the surface sediments of the Meliane River and the Coast of the Gulf of Tunis (Tunisia, Mediterranean Sea)

“…After the construction of the dams of El Kbir in 1920, Bir M'Cherga in 1971 and Lahma in 2002, the sediments input into the Gulf of Tunis decreased from 3.3 10 6 to 2.2 10 6 tons/year (Sliti, 1990;El Arrim, 1996;Saïdi et al, 2013). This reduction affects the solid and liquid inputs to the Gulf of Tunis containing the discharged polluted waters (Added et al, 2003;Khadhar et al, 2018;Kabouchi et al, 2020).…”