Urban growth in the coast of Puerto Madryn (Chubut, Argentina): impacts on coastal dune field and implications for coastal planning

BUNICONTRO MARÍA PAULA; MARCOMINI SILVIA

Advances in Geomorphology and Quaternary Studies in Argentina Proceedings of the Seventh Argentine Geomorphology and Quaternary Studies Congress

Springer

Año: 2021;

Human activities, predominantly developed in dense urbanized coastal areas, are mostly responsible for the modification of natural landscape. The intense use of coastal resources has favored erosion processes by destabilizing the dynamic balance of sediments in beach-foredune systems and coastal dune fields. Puerto Madryn is a touristic center of Patagonia Argentina which has been deeply modified by urbanization and industry development since 1970. The aim of this contribution is to analyze the urban growth and its direct impact on the original coastal dune field and foredunes. It was estimated a dune destruction rate of 5 hectares per year, decreasing from 700 m wide to only 30 and 60 meters, between 1942 and 2012. This type of retrospective study, by means of the use of historical records, is essential to understand natural coastal dynamics and the importance of landscape preservation. Previous conservation policies are discussed and new basic strategies are proposed to minimize negative impacts in the near future and to achieve an integrated coastal planning of natural resources.