Synthesis report: Adaptation response measures Drini-Mati river basin, Albania

PART 4. ADAPTATION RESPONSES Remove the Drini River breakwater The Drini River breakwater was built between 2007 and 2009 on the south side of the river mouth to provide a barrier to northerly directed longshore sediment transport and to allow maintenance dredging of the river mouth to stop. Before construction, sand extracted from the mouth was piled on the north shore of the channel from where it was transported by waves north along Kune Beach. This barrier to sediment transport has had detrimental environmental impacts further downdrift. In September 2009, Kune Beach was breached because of a sand deficit creating a second entrance to Merxhani Lagoon, which acted as a partial barrier to sand reaching the recurve spits of Kune Island.

Removing the Drini River breakwater would be an indirect form of sediment management, because sand would be allowed to transport north into and across the Drini River mouth to feed Kune Beach and Kune Island.

Beach nourishment Beach nourishment is the introduction of sand on to a beach to supplement a diminished supply of natural sediment, for the purpose of beach restoration, enhancement, or maintenance. This is considered an appropriate measure along the DMRD because the Kune-Vaini beaches are experiencing losses of sediment with a natural shortage of incoming sediment for replacement. Three areas of critical erosion are located along the Kune-Vaini stretch of shoreline; fronting north Merxhani Lagoon, south Merxhani Lagoon and Zaje/north Ceka Lagoons, where healthy beaches are especially important for preservation of the lagoons and as recreation and tourism facilities.

Although the need for nourishment is urgent, there is insufficient data on sediment characteristics, beach morphology and environmental impacts for the proposed nourishment to be implemented.

Although North Tale Beach is eroding, it is not considered necessary to implement beach nourishment at this stage, for two main reasons: • The beach has a relatively wide buffer of forested dune area behind it, which is providing adequate protection to Ceka Lagoon; and • Addition of more sand would not integrate effectively with other management recommendations for this stretch of shoreline including maintaining water exchange through the tidal channel between the lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. Two different beach nourishment approaches could be adopted along ShÍngjini Beach and Kune Spit: (i) subaerial placement (on beach), and (ii) nearshore placement (in surf zone). Obtaining a sufficient volume of appropriately sized sand free from con126