Sediment by-passing across coastal inlets by natural means

The problem of shoals and sand spits at harbour and river mouths is ubiquitous. Because of the pulsative nature of littoral drift no adequate solution has been found for this problem. If one could be found utilising the natural swell energy at the site it could save billions of dollars annually in dredging costs. One solution worthy of consideration and further research is to reflect the persistent waves obliquely across the entrance. These reflected waves interact with the incident component to form a short-crested wave system that suspends sediment and aids its transmission downcoast. Tests with varying lengths of reflecting wall have shown the effectiveness of this concept. Further research is indicated to overcome subsidiary problems such as navigability.