The coastal zone is often under heavy stress. Physical processes of erosion and sedimentation affect it, pollutants are spreading in the environment, and Man has ever higher requirements for using the coastal zone for economic activities as well as recreation.
The basis for a sustainable management of the coastal zone and its resources, is an in-depth understanding of the environment itself. This includes the physical environment, biology, chemistry, social and economical factors, all in a spatial perspective provided by geography. In rather virgin areas, we can take the lead or carry out the project ourselves. In more complex cases, we cooperate with others.
Erosion and sedimentation are also a frequent concern in the marine environment and in larger lakes. While studies of beaches are common-place, we have a rather unique expertise in studying the coastal zone in a broader perspective, focusing on the coast rather than the beach, and including also the offshore areas that are too often neglected in beach studies.
We Offer...
Integrated studies of delta degradation
Studies of beach erosion and pollution
Integrated studies of estuaries, lagoons and wetlands
Studies of fine sediment dynamics and nutrients
Studies of pollutant transport, dispersal, and deposition
Studies of harbour and navigation channel siltation
Studies of nearshore sand erosion, transport, and deposition
Studies of other under-water geomorphologic processes
Creation of Geographic Information Systems
Coordination and project leading of ICZM projects
Complete Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan
State-of-the-Art Tools and Methods
Sediment and morphology mapping
The side scan sonar data can be processed in a computer to form a mosaic of the bottom. Sediment samples, cores, and sub-bottom profiles are used as complements in the interpretation. Sonar maps provide a wealth of information, but a skilled interpreter is needed for the analysis. Our sonar expert has over 15 years of experience from working with rectifying side scan sonar, in a wide range of climates and environments.
A side scan sonar mosaic is invaluable in interpreting the sediment dynamics of an area. It greatly facilitates a correct interpretation by revealing the spatial variability of key variables, such as grain size, gas content, bedrock exposures, patches of temporarily deposited organic sediments, and turbidity current routes.
The morphological mapping also provides information needed for the identification of areas with slope instabilities and under-water screes, conditions that pose a threat to underwater installations such as cables, pipelines, and oil plattforms. Furthermore, features such as wrecks, cables, and pipelines, can be mapped.
Mapping sediment properties
Combined with a sediment map based on sonographs, an "intelligently" interpolated pollution map can be created, thus eliminating two sources of uncertainty that is inherent in "traditional" sediment pollution studies: Sampling of stratigraphic units with differing history, and interpolating over bottom areas with differing conditions. The result is a state-of-the-art sediment property map.
Nutrient flux modelling
Understanding particle flux is critical to describing organic matter and
nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems. We have hands-on experience with
sampling, using e.g. multitraps, as well as with the modeling necessary for
distinguishing between primary and resuspended vertical flux. An assessment
of environmental impact of e.g. eutrophication, climate and fishery is then
made using sensitivity analyses.
Geostatistics
GIS is not just about graphics. We also have the computational requirements
and the skills for statistically estimating the range of spatial
interdependence between sampling points (variogram modeling) and thus for
arriving at optimal interpolation and mapping of spatial estimate variance.
Environmental audits
We bring environmental science into your industrial plant! In order to
contribute to e.g. a life-cycle assessment, we will help translating an
EIA into a format suitable for planning cleaner production. Here, we use
Technical Environmental Assessment as a general and flexible analytical
tool.
Example: Sewage from Göteborg, Sweden
For ten years Hydroconsult was assigned to monitor the environmental effects of the sewage disposed from the city of Göteborg (Gothenburg).
