17 years of changes (1989-2006) in bathymetry and sediments texture in segura river mouth

Abstract

Segura river (Guardamar, Spain) has always been a source of great floods that has cost considerable damage. In order to avoid this phenomenon, the channeling of the river basin was performed. In this study bathymetry and sedimentological data collected before and after the channeling have been analyzed in order to see the possible modifications that this construction might have caused in sediment distribution, bathymetry and plant species in the area near the river mouth. A data digitization process was carried out in order to create sediment distribution maps from both periods of time. Results from 1989 and 2006 have been analyzed separately and compared between them. It has been observed a high reduction of the sediments with diameter lower than 0.0039 mm, what has led to a depth increase of 1 m. Besides, a reflection area has appeared as a consequence of the generation of a regression zone next to the river mouth.