Evaluation of maximum storm wave run-up and surges along the Emilia-Romagna coastline (NE Italy): A step towards a risk zonation in support of local CZM strategies

The coastal zone of the Emilia-Romagna region is exposed to risk from coastal flooding during storms. The vulnerability of this coastline is a topic of interest for future coastal planning as this area provides large revenue for coastal communities and the whole region. High-resolution air-borne laser detection technology (LIDAR) has permitted to undertake a feasibility study for the assessment of coastal erosion and flooding patterns along one of the best-preserved dune systems of the area. Following a period of exceptional events occurred in September 2004, with a return period of 100-years, the whole coastal system is in a state of weakness. A risk evaluation was therefore undertaken for combined events of storm waves and surges, with return periods of 1, 10 and 100 years. A methodology for the characterisation of dune erosion is proposed