Unveiling the role of storm surges as a driver of flooding on the western Mediterranean: a case study of the Ebro Delta

Abstract

Storm surges in the Western Mediterranean are generally low in magnitude, making their contribution to coastal flooding less significant compared to wave overtopping. Nonetheless, low-lying, sheltered coasts such as deltas and wetlands, which are frequent along the Mediterranean basin are particularly vulnerable to storm surges. This study, focusing on the Ebro Delta as representative of this type of coastal environment, investigates the flooding caused by storm surge alone and in conjunction with other non-wave related factors like astronomical tides and sea level rise (SLR), using the LISFLOOD-FP model. The findings highlight the significant flooding potential of storm surges on passive, and unprotected coasts, while also indicate that astronomical tides have a minor effect on flood extent under prevalent microtidal conditions. SLR greatly increases the impact of storm surges, amplifying temporary inundation in the short term and becoming the dominant factor over time. The study underscores the importance of accurately representing surge duration and small topographic features in flood models to ensure robust coastal inundation assessments in low-lying areas.