Multi-decadal Dutch coastal dynamic mapping with multi-source remote sensing imagery

Tidal flats and their associated sandbanks are dynamic environments crucial for ecological balance and biodiversity. Monitoring their evolutionary history and topographic changes is important to better understand their dynamic mechanisms and predict their future status. Accurately mapping their evolution, however, remains challenging due to highly dynamic currents, suspended sediment variability, and unclear boundaries between land, tidal flats, and water. Traditional waterline methods struggle under these conditions. In this study, we propose an Object-Based Image Segmentation (OBIS) method, specifically designed for SAR images, to extract waterlines and distinguish tidal flats and shorelines from water bodies. This method integrates SAR polarimetric feature analysis to select high-quality images and employs partition processing to preserve local feature statistics. Using 199 Sentinel-1 GRD, 132 Radarsat-2 SLC, and 157 Landsat images, we analyzed coastal dynamics in the Dutch Wadden Sea from 1986 to 2020. Our DEMs, validated against LiDAR data (2016–2019) and 58 ground anchor measuring stations (2011–2020), achieved an accuracy of 10–30 cm. Results show that coastal tidal flats and sandbanks expanded at rates of 0.107–0.324 km${}^2$ yr⁻¹ and 0.010–0.073 km${}^2$ yr⁻¹, respectively, with a net intertidal volume increase of approximately $8.6\times 10^7{\text{m}}^3$. The generated DEMs provide valuable insights for sediment budget evaluation and hydrodynamic modeling, supporting scientific research and coastal management. The proposed OBIS-based framework demonstrates its effectiveness for mapping national-scale tidal flats and sandbanks dynamics.