Determination of coastal border line: an integrated approach for a part of Antalya coast (Turkey)

Sustainable development in coastal areas requires mapping of geological and geomorphological features of the area and precise determination of coastal border line. Such a study was carried out in the city of Antalya, which is undergoing intense infrastructural development in order to accommodate touristic activities. In the field, high water level, which is determined from moist-dry sand border and current berm crest, was taken as the indicator for shoreline, while vegetation line and topographic rises were taken as indicators of coastal border line. The geographic coordinates of all of the features were determined using differential Global Positioning System with application of “real-time kinematic measurement” technique. Quickbird satellite images of 2002 and 2009 were used in order to observe natural state of the coastal area before the constructions, to complete geomorphological map, and to confirm the coastal border line determined in the field. In addition, the natural vegetation line before the infrastructural development was determined using normalized difference vegetation index approach. Using grain size parameters for identification of coastal border line, high and low water levels were tested. The results showed that from low water level to coastal border line, D₅₀ (median grain size) and coefficient of uniformity decrease while coefficient of curvature increases systematically. This study showed that use of only one approach to determine coastal border line is insufficient, and an integrated methodology is required.