Fontolan, G., Pillon, S., Delli Quadri, F., and Bezzi, A., 2007. Sediment storage in the northern Adriatic ebb-tidal deltas, Italy: sand use potential and GIS database. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 50 (Proceedings of the 9th International Coastal Symposium), 917 – 921. Gold Coast, Australia, ISSN 0749-0208.
Tidal inlet morphodynamics have often resulted in conflicting situations with the navigation and maritime uses of the lagoon areas in the northern Adriatic Sea, Italy, where important industries and harbours are located. Many of the inlets are now rigidly stabilised by jetties; others are managed through periodic excavations. A new automatic geostatistical procedure has been developed for the ebb-tidal delta volume calculation and applied on five relatively natural inlets. Sand storage potential varies considerably, as a function of the tidal prism, from ca. 0.27 · 106 to 11· 106 m3. Our results compare well with the volumes obtained from the application of the Hicks and Hume (1987) relationship. Spatial queries from GIS emphasise that a significant amount of the ebb delta material consists of more than 1-m-thick sand deposits, thus suitable for dredging and re-use. A GIS catalogue of the different lithologies, obtained through specified inquiry about mean grain-size and sorting, may be a useful tool for a beach nourishment plan for the neighbouring erosional beaches.
