Beach Monitoring and Morphological Response in the Presence of Coastal Defense Strategies at Riccione (Italy)

The coastal area at Riccione, in the southern Emilia-Romagna littoral region, is exposed to erosive processes, which are expected be enhanced by climate change. beach, mostly composed of fine sand, maintained through various defense strategies, including frequent nourishment interventions for balancing sediment deficit and other experimental solutions reducing erosion. Artificial reshaping beach “common practices” management redefine morphology redistribution almost continuously. These activities overlap each with dynamics, this makes it very difficult evaluate their effectiveness, as well role natural processes on morphological evolution. Topo-bathymetric sedimentological monitoring has been carried out a regular basis since 2000 Regional Agency Prevention, Environment Energy (Arpae). Further emerged submerged 2019–2021 framework research project STIMARE, focusing innovative strategies relation erosion risk. aim study assess behavior interannual/seasonal scale stretch where adopted actions control variations besides wave current regime. topo-bathymetric erosion/accretion patterns provided multitemporal have related anthropogenic activities. also assessed volumetric terms different subzones better understanding onshore/offshore exchange nourishments presence protection structures. effectiveness combat erosion, cope future change-related impacts, appears not fully successful an overall coast. This demonstrates need repeated such critical setting.