The coasts of the Haifa and Kryot districts are facing a worrying phenomenon of receding sand, shrinking beaches and increasing storms year after year. Rising sea levels, dangerous stay in areas of kurkar cliffs and increasing damage to coastal infrastructure raise serious concerns about the future of the coastline in the area. In Haifa, the construction of breakwaters has already been approved, but the question remains: is this a real solution or a temporary plaster?
Beach retreat and cliff danger along the coasts of Haifa and the Kiryat
Israel has about 180 gross kilometers of coastline, but in reality much less: military areas, factories, and long beaches that are not even suitable for a walk reduce the area available to the public. In certain places along Israel's coast, a worrying phenomenon is evident that does not only consist of retreating sands and shrinking beaches, but also in the increasing intensity of storms that damage the beaches from year to year. Staying in areas of kurkar cliffs has become dangerous not only during storms but 24 hours a day, and landslide warning signs have been posted on many beaches. The rise in sea levels due to melting glaciers is also contributing to the worsening of the situation, and the weather, which has become unstable, is making it difficult to cope with the phenomenon.
Kiryat Haim Beach as an Indicator of Change
There are beaches that serve as excellent indicators of the changes taking place along the coastline, the Kurkar Cliffs, the Island of the Flies and the Horse Beach in Acre, as well as Kiryat Haim Beach. The changes are particularly noticeable at Kiryat Haim Beach. About two years ago, it was decided to move the main lifeguard tower several meters from its location, because it was completely submerged in water. The tower was moved, but less than a year and a half later, its new location was also washed away by water, a fact that is a clear indicator of the rate of beach retreat. All the sand that piles up on the Margolin Promenade, it turns out, does not come from the wind but is splashed up by the water and waves, and if a prolonged gust of wind occurs for several days and the mass of water piles up towards the beach, everything could be flooded.
Breakwaters in Haifa – Solution or Plaster?
In Haifa, the construction of breakwaters has already been approved, similar to those built in Tel Aviv and at the Meridian in Haifa, except that in this case they will be placed further from the shore. From a biological perspective, the breakwaters may contribute to improving the condition of the marine life, which is in a slow recovery process, but along with this, unwanted species such as diadems and sedges are also expected to arrive, a phenomenon not unlike what is happening in Bat Galim. Regarding the retreat of the coast, the breakwaters may slow the process for several years, but in certain areas this is only a temporary plaster. Regarding beaches such as Dado and the Students, which are known for dangerous rip currents, the situation is still unclear, and the cost of such solutions is enormous.
Haifa and the Krayot – What to expect in the coming storms
Anyone who touches the coastline is expected to suffer from the winter storms, including Shkmona and Bat Galim. In the Krayot, residents close to the coast are expected to experience significant inconvenience, including parking lots on Kiryat Haim Beach and houses on Degania Street. So far, the storms have been relatively short, but there is concern that a prolonged storm could cause real damage in areas where vulnerabilities are already evident. Building promenades and recreation centers on the waterfront is a wonderful thing, but we must look to the near future and think twice. The authorities need to act and shorten the complicated bureaucracy to deal with the growing challenge.
A breakwater is a must for our beaches in Kiryat Haim and Kiryat Yam.
I also think that a breakwater is a plaster, a ticking bomb….
Thank you, Moti, for the amazing documentation every time.
I really loved Gador Beach and that's where I first met the magnificent Mrs. Shoshana. Something kept me away from there and I haven't been able to get there in the last three years.
Thanks to you I understood the reason.
I always settled among the cliffs and pools they created.
Yona Yahav, - must expedite the construction of breakwaters similar to Tel Aviv, on Meridian Beach, and on Dado Beach due to the retreat of the sand
And the beach.
Breakwaters? I just hope it doesn't hurt water sports like surfing or windsurfing/kite surfing.
Why are you surprised? A few years ago they said that the beach would retreat. They just didn't explain why this was happening. Maybe they were stealing sand for construction from the beaches.
Hello A.A.
Unfortunately, this is the theft of sand, this is a long-term process that all started with the closing of the Aswan Dam. In Tel Aviv, the vouchers help us, nothing is coming to the Gulf anymore.
Thank you
The Haifa Municipality has announced the start of renovations to parts of the Bat Galim Promenade in the coming month. Only what: instead of the promenade's renovations, the renovation will include protection from flooding and inundation due to giant waves, tsunamis or rising sea levels, which require municipalities to prepare for the beaches, especially when they are right at sea level.
In Bat Galim, the entire promenade needs to be raised by 1.5 meters. It sounds like too much, but in fact it's the minimum needed to prepare for disasters we've already seen, like huge floods during winter storms.
Hello, you are absolutely right. Instead of addressing the problem by raising the embankment, we are continuing the promenade, while the southern side will suffer in the winter. This is very puzzling.
They destroyed walls there that protected from all the storms and opened the beach to a playground. This is a big mistake. All these renovations are done without really thinking properly. Time will tell.
According to most marine engineering and coastal management experts, there is no “magic solution,” but the most effective solution for most of Israel’s coasts is a combination of sand injection and smart management of the coastline, rather than building more breakwaters.
This is how it works:
* Sand filling: Suitable sand is brought in and spread on eroded beaches. This expands the beach, protects the cliffs, and reduces the impact of waves. This is the accepted method in many countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United States.
* Maintaining the movement of sand along the coast. When ports or breakwaters are built, care must be taken to ensure that the sand can continue to move along the coast, for example by proactively transferring sand.
* Point-by-point protection of cliffs and infrastructure: Only in places where there is a real danger to homes, roads, or human life, do breakwaters or protective walls be erected. Widespread use of such measures may actually increase erosion on nearby beaches.
* Enforcing construction distances from the sea. Leaving a strip of coastline open allows the coast to change naturally over the years.
In Israel, sand-feeding and cliff protection projects are already being carried out, but the rate of erosion in some places is still rapid, and therefore ongoing treatment is required.
Ultimately, even if the world significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, sea level rise is expected to continue for decades to come. Therefore, Israel will have to continue investing in coastal protection. Dear Moti, thank you for the report and the photos you take and share. You are a champion. 🌺
Hello, you are absolutely right. Instead of addressing the problem by raising the promenade, we are continuing it, while the southern side will suffer in the winter. This is very puzzling. Hello, Mark.
That's very true, but it's also a bit late to address the greenhouse effect...just for comparison...like a car has a braking distance...the damage has already been done by what you don't do.
Thank you
Don't worry – the tsunami on the way will bring back the sand, water, and more.
Hello Ofer…if there is a tsunami, the coast will be built not only of sand but of urban crises.
Thanks
There is no need for prophecies of wrath from the respected Motti Mendelssohn.
The sea is the same sea and the sands are the same sands and the storm will come and pass like every year, but we will be able to dip in the waters of the Mediterranean next year as well.
Hello Ofer…if there is a tsunami, the coast will be built not only of sand but of urban crises.
Thank you, Hello Dobby
This is not a prophecy of wrath, this is the absolute truth. It's hard to accept, but the sea is no different in terms of storms, and the level is constantly rising.
Thank you.