Soft solution to stabilise beach-estuary interaction, Kinka Beach case study, Capricorn Coast

"When the output from an estuary is partly blocked by the construction of a causeway, the natural regime is changed, and unpredicted initial changes to the relation between the nearest beach and the new output can occur. In this case, a study was made of an estuary which was partly blocked by a causeway 57 years ago, together with erosion of the nearest beach which reached over 60 m, threatening the local community. Progressive erosion of the beach named Kinka Beach (Capricorn Coast), and instability of the outflow channel from the man-made Causeway Lake was halted by excavation of a new channel and construction of a sand dam. The new dam created a tidal lagoon to accumulate a sufficient tidal prism to keep the new channel free of siltation. At the same time, the dam may be considered as a natural headland for nearby Kinka Beach where a crenulate shaped bay was expected to develop. The fundamentals of the implemented solution, and the status of the beach after 6 years, are presented. The effect of this relatively cheap solution on the nearest beach is very positive. In the author's opinion, the presented solution could be recommended as an environmenatlly friendly soft solution for beach stabilisation."--Abstract.