Evolution of the beach artificial nourishments in the Tomis North sector, a short therm analysis (2013-2024)

Abstract

The Romanian coastline is part of the western coast of the Black Sea, extending for about 245 km, morphologically divided into two units: the northern unit, from Musura Bay to Cape Midia, with deltaic and lagoon origin, and the southern unit, from Cape Midia to Vama Veche, characterised by well-developed cliffs and wide beaches. This last coastal sector includes both accumulating coastlines (beaches) and anthropogenic features (ports and breakwaters). Constanta, the largest and most important city in Dobrogea, claims a rich history and a variety of tourist attractions, with its beaches stretching some 6 km along the coast from Tomis Marina to the entrance of Mamaia Resort. This study analyses the recent changes observed at a popular tourist beach known as Reyna Beach, located near Mamaia Resort, following the nourishment works carried out in the framework of the "Protection and Rehabilitation of the Southern Part of the Romanian Black Sea Coast" project. The project involved extensive hydrogeographic works, including the rehabilitation of piers, the construction of submerged breakwaters and beach nourishment.
This paper aims to analyse the evolution of the coastal area from a geographical perspective, including geological and geomorphological characteristics, using various data sources such as satellite images, field measurements and previous maps associated to grounding studies.