Environmental management of clastic coastal depositional environments: inferences from an Australian geomorphic database

Simple, conceptual geomorphic models can assist environmental managers in making informed decisions regarding management of the coast at continental and regional scales. This basic information, detected from aerial photographs and/or satellite images, can be used to ascertain the relative significance of several common environmental issues, including: sediment trapping efficiency, turbidity, water circulation, and habitat change due to sedimentation for different types of clastic coastal depositional environments. The classification of 780 Australian clastic coastal depositional environments based on their geomorphology is used to derive a coastal regionalisation, comprised of a distinctive suite of environments for each region. Because of the close link between the relative influence of waves and tides and the geomorphology of clastic coastal depositional environments, a basic understanding of the broad geomorphic and sedimentary characteristics by environmental managers will assist them in ascertaining the relative significance of environmental issues in each region. The benefit of this approach is that it provides guidance in tailoring management schemes differently for each region, resulting in more effective and efficient treatment of these issues.