An Analysis of Causes of Coastal Erosion in Calido Beach, Kalutara, West Coast of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The coastal zone is key to sustainable development of a country. However, coastal erosion has been identified as a major natural hazard in the world for a long time. Coastal erosion is mainly affected to damage or destroy the various structures along the coast. This can also be a huge problem for the tourism industry of the country because the beaches play a vital role in attraction of tourists. In Sri Lanka, Kalutara is one of the most critically eroded coastal areas of the country. Therefore, it is needed to identify the spatial distribution of the eroded areas, causes and impacts of coastal erosion as well as suitable protection and mitigation measures. Therefore, the aim of the study is to analyze the coastal erosion of Calido beach in Kalutara. The specific objectives of the study are mainly two fold’ identification of spatial distribution of beach erosion in Calido beach, and the causes for coastal erosion in Calido beach. The study is based on qualitative analysis. Google Earth Pro is used for the completion of research objectives. Rainfall, wave climate, river flow, shoreline changes and sediment transport are the main data that was collected. The spatial distribution of eroded area could be classified as high, medium, and low by the direct observation method. The results of the study revealed that the cut of sand bar in May, 2017 is the main cause of coastal erosion in Calido beach. Accordingly, the total extent of the eroded area of the beach was approximately 0.45 km2. Further, the results of the study revealed that the length of the eroded area was approximately 3 km and the perimeter was about 5.52 km. Therefore, this study was recommended to identify suitable protection and mitigation measures for the coastal erosion in Calido beach.