Morpholithodynamic processes in the coastal zone of the Anapa spit barrier

The results of field studies of the beach dynamics and the continental slope (over the depth range from 0 to 5 m) of the Anapa spit barrier that were carried out in 2002–2005 using ten lateral profiles are presented. The analysis of the location of the submarine ridges based on the data of 1992 up to a depth of 11 m has shown that the configuration thereof facilitates the transport of sediments to the southeast, thus bypassing Cape Anapa. No resultant accumulation of beach-forming sediments on the southeastern flank of the spit barrier occurs within the submarine slope bordering the high coast, thus provoking the active erosion of the town beach over the last 25–30 years. The main reasons for this are the tectonic deformation of the coastal region and the submarine slope between the harbor and the central part of the town beach, as well as the change in the azimuth orientation of the resultant waves from 135° in the 1960s–1970s to 210° over the past decade. The relatively stable coast and the regions of intense erosion of the accumulative body of the Anapa spit barrier were revealed on the basis of the measurements and the analysis of the topographic data.