Hydro-morphological modeling to characterize the adequacy of jetties and subsidiary alternatives in sedimentary stock rationalization within tidal inlets of marine lagoons

Alterations to the tidal inlets shoals, whether natural or anthropogenic, can dramatically influence the hydro-morphological balance of the inlet system in the short and long-term. Jettied inlets, despite typically supported by former technical design reports in curtailing the sedimentology stock, sometimes they require amendments. This paper provides an expository epitome for understanding the role of jetties in concerning the extent of their adequacy to economically and ecologically rationalize the internal siltation within both the western and the eastern tidal inlets of the Bardawil Lagoon, which is situated along the Mediterranean coastline of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. The main tool to characterize that role is the hydro-morphological modeling of the inlets system. We used a two-dimensional hydrodynamic circulation model consisting of two steering modules, CMS-Flow and CMS-Wave. In a five-year simulation process, this study emphasized that the sole use of jetties was noticeably insufficient to fulfill the satisfactory stabilization of the sedimentation processes inside the inlets. Consequently, the lake's ecosystem might entirely collapse in the short run due to the progressive deposits fashioning in the form of ebb/flood-tidal deltas. Accordingly, we proposed alternative solutions based on structural modulation scenarios in the vicinity of inlets domain encompassing jetties extension, flow-diverted wall (FDW), sediment trap (ST), random radial channels (RC) and lateral wide channel (LWC). Based upon the results of an optimization model using the Mamdani-type fuzzy inference system, the addition of a lined LWC alongside with jetties proved to be an effective solution over a longer period that rather meets the needs of the majority of stakeholders satisfactorily.