Erosion vulnerability and risk assessment in Astara port

The global warming in the twentieth century led to an increase in ocean levels, and the drowning of vast areas of the coastal regions and the emergence of erosion phenomena were its adverse consequences. Determining the severity of the vulnerability and the risk of erosion hazards in the coastal area of Port Astara is considered as the main objective of the research. Coastal morphological forms were identified by studying and interpreting satellite imagery. In field observations, the sedimentary morphodynamics status and geometric structure of the dry section of the coast were monitored at five measuring stations located in the three coastal zones. The geometric structure of the Astara coast was measured by performing mapping and hydrographic operations, and the texture characteristics of sea bed sediments were evaluated. The Caspian Sea coastlines were compared over a period of 52 years by satellite imagery analysis and aerial photos in the GIS software, and the displacement of the coastline was calculated. The main results indicate that the rate of coastline displacement in the Astara city area is different. The very gentle slope of the Astara coast has caused an increase in the severity of the vulnerability as the level of the Caspian Sea rises and the risk of erosion hazards in the southern areas of Port Astara is high due to human intervention with relation to other areas. In the oscillatory scenario model, the reaction of the Astara cost will cause serious different challenges and environmental threats, so that, with a 2-meter increase in the level of the Caspian Sea, 30 hectares of coastal lands will be flooded and various economic utilities will be destroyed.