BEACH PROFILE EVOLUTION IN URBAN AND PERI-URBAN AREAS IN THE VILLA GESELL DISTRICT, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA EVOLUCIÓN DEL PERFIL DE PLAYA EN ZONAS URBANAS Y PERIURBANAS EN EL PARTIDO DE VILLA GESELL, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

BÉRTOLA, GERMÁN R.; CARO, LEONARDO SÁNCHEZ; GARZO, PEDRO

Revista Geografica de Chile Terra Australis

Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins - Instituto Geográfico Militar

Año: 2021 vol. 57 p. 41 - 54

0378-8482

The coastal villages with the greatest touristic affluence of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, are located on the Eastern Sand Barrier. The characteristics of the beaches of Villa Gesell, one of the most visited districts, have been studied before but there is no recent data available. This work represents an update of the state of its beaches, comparing beach profile and sediment balances data collected between 1994 and 2004 with sporadic measurements taken up to 2010. In 2021, four cross-shore beach profiles were carried out, distributed throughout the district and covering urban and peri-urban areas. It was observed that beaches in urban areas, where coastal dunes have been deteriorated or eliminated as a result of urban development and some anthropic practices, presented smaller beach widths and lower slopes. Beaches in peri-urban areas, with less building occupation on the waterfront, had greater beach widths and slopes, as well as larger volumes and sediment balances. Seasonal winter/summer cycles, episodic storm cycles and anthropogenic action have been identified as modifying processes of these beaches. Coastal urbanization and practices linked to sun and sea tourism affect coastal dynamics (modifying beach width and profiles). Thus, sustained monitoring over time is a necessary tool to evaluate possible changes and preserve the beaches that represent a fundamental tourist resource for these localities.