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Research &

development

Coastal morphology and dynamics

of two beaches of Favignana

Results of an investigation on the coastal morphology and dynamics of two pocket beaches of Favignana,
Cala Azzurra and Lido Burrone, are presented. Four detailed hydrographic surveys were performed using multibeam
echo sounder with sidescan sonar and differential marine GPS. Surveys were repeated in different periods following
the same navigation project. Moreover, incident wave climate and coastal hydrodynamics were investigated using
state-of-the-art numerical models. Results of in-situ activities indicate little bathymetric variations among different
surveys and suggest a substantial stability of submerged beach profiles limited to surveyed area.
Slightly greater bathymetric changes and a generally more intense coastal dynamics were observed at Cala Azzurra
compared to Lido Burrone. Simulations of wave propagation and nearshore circulation currents provided results
consistent with field observations

DOI 10.12910/EAI2015-070
n F. Pasanisi, C. Tebano, S. Grauso

Introduction

Favignana is the major of the Aegadian Islands (Figure 1),
where tourism pressure is concentrated the most.
The marine area surrounding the islands presents an
extraordinary biodiversity and the largest Posidonia
oceanica meadow in Europe; in 1991, the area was
declared Marine Reserve to preserve its fragile and
valuable natural resources.
The coastline of Favignana island is about 32 km long
and is composed of an extremely large extent of rocky
shores. A very limited number of small sandy beaches
is present, mainly along the south-eastern coast of the
island; the present study focuses on Cala Azzurra and
Lido Burrone beaches, much appreciated by tourists
and having a high landscape and economic value.
As regards coastal morphology, both sites show the FIGURE 1 Geographic setting of study areas (coordinate system
typical features of a pocket beach, i.e. a pebbly or sandy UTM33N-WGS84)

beach confined in plan by two bedrock headlands [1,
2]. The exchange of sediment between a pocket beach
and the adjacent shores due to long-shore transport
Contact person: Francesco Pasanisi
francesco.pasanisi@enea.it is generally little, depending on the incident wave
climate and seaward extension of the headlands. When

EAI Energia, Ambiente e Innovazione 4/2015
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