Fast shoreline erosion induced by ship wakes in a coastal lagoon: Field evidence and remote sensing analysis

A rapid shoreline erosion, averaging 3-4 meters per year between 1974 and 2015, has been identified along the Malamocco Marghera Channel in Venice's Lagoon due to ship wakes. This erosion is influenced by tidal forcing, storm surges, and seasonal variations, with winter periods showing faster retreat rates. The study, combining field surveys from April 2014 to January 2015 with remote sensing and GIS analysis, revealed that the process is discontinuous in time and space, depending on morpho-stratigraphy and vegetation cover of artificial deposits. A total sediment loss of approximately 1.19 million cubic meters was calculated for the period between 1968-2015. The research highlights the significant impact of heavy ship traffic on shallow-water systems, providing crucial data for sustainable port management and future scenario development.

Zaggia, L., Lorenzetti, G., Manfé, G., Scarpa, G. M., Molinaroli, E., Parnell, K. E., Rapaglia, J. P., Gionta, M., & Soomere, T. (2017). Fast shoreline erosion induced by ship wakes in a coastal lagoon: Field evidence and remote sensing analysis. Plos One, 12(10), e0187210. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187210