Multi-decadal shoreline change along the Kuwaiti coast using Google Earth Engine and the Digital Shoreline Analysis...

Area of Science:

• Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis
• Coastal Geomorphology

Background:

• Monitoring shoreline dynamics in tidal and turbid environments is challenging.
• Existing methods struggle with tidal fluctuations and sediment-rich coastlines.
• Accurate shoreline assessment is crucial for coastal management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a cloud-based framework for monitoring shoreline change.
• To assess shoreline dynamics along the Kuwaiti coast from 1985 to 2023.
• To provide a transferable methodology for complex coastal environments.

Main Methods:

• Integrated Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) and Maximum Spectral Index Composite (MSIC) algorithms.
• Utilized Google Earth Engine for consistent shoreline delineation at maximum water extent.
• Quantified shoreline change using End Point Rate (EPR), Linear Regression Rate (LRR), and Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) via Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS).

Main Results:

• Identified significant spatial heterogeneity in shoreline behavior along 531 km of Kuwaiti coastline.
• Northern coast and Kuwait Bay experienced substantial erosion (mean retreat: -2.2 m/year).
• Southern coast showed progradation (mean accretion: +0.8 m/year), with an overall mean retreat of -19 m over 38 years.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework accurately monitors complex, tide-influenced coastlines with high precision (±7.9 m/year).
• Shoreline changes are driven by natural processes and anthropogenic modifications.
• Urgent need for adaptive coastal management, including Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and nature-based solutions, is emphasized.