The biggest problem in Yucatan coast is the lack of development planning on the coast and the fact that the natural processes that occur on the coast are not analyzed to plan correct development, says the doctor Christian Mario Appendini Albrechtsenexpert in wave modeling, hydrodynamics and sediment transport.
After seeing Photos and videos of the eroded beaches of the malecón and eastern Progresowhere there are spurs and sandbags, the coordinator of the Engineering Institute of the Sisal Academic Unit of the UNAM from February 2019 to April 2024, points out that this type of work with sandbags does not solve much and can even worsen the situation.
He also says that the transport of sand has a marked trend and goes from east to west, so any work that is done has a significant effect on the adjacent coast, which means that individual actions can worsen the problem.
Consulted from Denmark where he carries out studies and a project on sargassum at the University of Aarhus, Dr. Appendini points out that beach erosion is complex and it is difficult to point out a particular cause and a universal solution.
“The erosion problems, and in my opinion the erosion of the Yucatan coast, are the result of poor management in the coastal zone and disorderly development.”
He details that when structures such as walls and spurs begin to interact with the sea, the problems worsen and not necessarily where the structures are. For this reason, it is also very important to carry out studies and be able to determine which are the best solutions, not for a small piece of beach, but for the entire system.
I wouldn’t be surprised, he says, if erosion in Progreso This is due to the proliferation of structures in recent years on the beaches east of the port.
Remember that many years ago there was an initiative to remove structures, it did not solve the problem, but it did help maintain the natural flow of sand. Some areas remained affected, but others did not. The proliferation of protection structures without studies and without bases serve as temporary palliativesbut then they can generate worse problems or affect the surrounding coasts.
Asked about the placement of geotubes, the doctor Christian Appendini He points out that he cannot say if the geotubes work or not because he does not know how they are used, “for example, if they fill them with the same sand from the beach, well, we are already off to a bad start because the problem is the lack of sand, and it is not being resolved.”
He points out that we would have to look to see if there are studies to carry out these works and from there see what has been done before and if there were studies.
He mentioned that in the years 2010 to 2012, a beach erosion committee was created in the Ministry of Urban Development and Environment. (Seduma) headed by Eduardo Batllori Sampedro, and made up of neighbors, research institutions, and the federal and municipal governments.
“We gave several recommendations, they were not followed, in fact, the opposite was done in some cases.”