Reconstitution and recovery of Pollara beach

This action will contribute to the Mission “Restore our Ocean and waters by 2030” as it concerns the reconstitution and recovery of Pollara beach which allows the attenuation of the impact of the wave motion and a consequent rebalancing between it and the coastal bottom currents, therefore this action contribute to restore coastal areas. Pollara beach is located in the island of Salina, Sicily, under the Municipality of Malfa.
The beach is made up of large stones between the rocks, which makes it unique and intimate, set within an amphitheater-shaped cliff. For many years the bay of Pollara has suffered the effects of human activities, such as exaggerated navigation, massive anchoring and, in general, the over-exploitation of its natural resources, on which the anthropic impact is evident. The beach and the coast of Pollara has undergone considerable erosion in recent years.
The pebbly beach of Pollara was formed over time thanks to the dismantling of the cliff and the remodeling of the materials by the sea. As there are no other inputs that feed the beach, over time the action of the sea, which encounters less erodible levels of materials in the cliff, produces both an impoverishment of the beach - transporting the smaller and smaller pebbles towards the sea - and an erosion action at the foot of the cliff, with consequent dangers of collapsing of the upper part.
Given the geological nature of the site and its current morphology, it is considered appropriate to propose a recovery of the beach in its northernmost part, which has a linear development of about 250 meters. In a context like this represented here, the only serious mitigation action of the serious and dangerous phenomenon of erosion of the cliff above the beach, is the reconstitution of the beach itself (emerged and submerged), which in the last 20 years has retreated in this section between 6 and 11 meters facing the sea.
The present proposal is in fact centered on the study of the local coastal dynamics and in particular on the dynamics of the coastal bottom current, which is truly responsible for the longitudinal transfer of sediments. This perspective changes the traditional design approach, outlining specific nourishment methods, aimed at maintaining as much as possible a natural defense structure with a dynamic character (represented primarily by the emerged / submerged beach and its resilient capacity), avoiding stiffeners that cannot being "in phase" with a highly dynamic environment and which, as demonstrated by the logic of the interventions carried out up to now, do not solve the local problem and generate imbalances and imbalances in the neighboring coastal stretches. the project proposal must include the following activities of study and design, until the construction of the works.
 Precision topo-bathymetric survey with precise measurement of the speed and direction of the coastal bottom current. Sampling of the emerged-submerged sediments in the vast area to identify the most suitable sampling area at sea;
 Data analysis and drafting of the definitive-executive project for the structural nourishment of the beach, with the technical and economic attachments required by the law on public works. Construction supervision and site safety responsibility;
 Environmental study and landscape report.
The municipality of Malfa will carry out targeted interventions to provide for the beach nourishment.