Shoreline management Plan for Yanbu coast, Western coast of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

A comprehensive study was carried out on the Yanbu coast to evaluate the potential for erosion and accretion pattern. From 2004 to 2019, Google Earth engine was used to collect satellite-imaging data, considering changes in the coastal zone caused by natural or human-induced events. At five-year intervals, the image was analyzed with Q-GIS, and the delimited shoreline shapefile was compared to a recent image to show the Yanbu coast's erosion and accretion behavior during the previous two decades. Shoreline changes were computed and assessed, followed by the implementation of a recommended shoreline management plan for the entire coast. These studies will help the area develop a comprehensive shoreline management plan as well as a coastal zone management plan.