Spatial and Temporal Behaviour of Depth of Closure along the Holland Coast

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Abstract
Depth of closure has been identified and its characteristics investigated over larger temporal ( ≥ 25 years) and spatial ( < 100 kilometres) scales than previous research. In addition to the 'normal' shoreward closure produced by breaking waves and crossshore bar migration, at longer timescales ( ≥ 10 years) shoreface morphodynamics also produce significant profile changes. The shoreward closure is primarily controlled by wave breaking with a secondary control of bar morphodynamics. Shoreface changes are slow and steady and as timescale increases, so more profiles exhibit re-opening in depths typically greater than 10 metres. This is then usually followed by the re-closure of the profile on the middle/lower shoreface. Such phenomena have not been observed in past studies of this type and result from the large temporal and spatial extent of the data set used here. Over long time scales (≥ 10 years) such changes have a coastal engineering significance.