El rol de las tormentas en la evolución morfodinámica del Delta del río VélezCosta del Sol, Málaga

Abstract

Velez River Delta, located in the eastern coast of Málaga, is a highly dynamic system that changes at timescales from weeks to decades. Its localisation in one of the most touristic areas of the Andalusian Mediterranean coast has resulted in a patent transformation, both of the watershed that supports the river with the construction of reservoirs and dams, and the coastline with the construction of a Marina, and the seawall at Torre del Mar beach, among others. The result is a delta highly influenced by the contributions of the river and functionally dependents on coastal processes resulting from wave action and storms. The latter, although not common in the Mediterranean Sea, are characterized by high energy and some ability to modify the coastal landforms, especially when recorded on a concatenated and high cadence. In this paper a preliminary study on the influence of storms and morphodynamic processes associated with the morphology, dynamics and evolution of the delta in the past 50 years is presented. Through the analysis of wave dissipation patterns and the temporal evolution of the coastline using orthophotography and GIS tools, a model for the morphodynamic evolution of the delta is outlined.