Iraqi shoreline stability: a review of recent geological and engineering research

This research has extensively reviewed previous studies of the dynamics of the Iraqi shore zone that is characterized by low-lying plains of mudflats and situated in the northwest of the Arabian Gulf. To ensure a comprehensive and critical evaluation of the existing literature, the methodology in this research entailing categorizes that research interested in shoreline changes into several groups based on their main scope: shoreline change-related studies, sedimentary-focused studies, and coastal engineering studies. The research then deduced the findings of these research groups in two ways: firstly, the long-term reduction of water discharges from the Shatt al-Arab River due to upstream water management projects has led to decreased sediment supply, exacerbating erosion, and altering the shoreline geomorphology; secondly, the construction of new coastal marinas, notably the Grand Faw Port (GFP), has the potential to mitigate erosion along specific segments of the coastline even though the long-term impacts remain inadequately studied. The previous research on the Iraqi coastline most likely shows fragmented and insufficient to comprehensively understand the region’s coastal dynamics and then assess critical natural hazards, such as erodibility and sedimentation rates. This critical gap exists in knowledge and has severely limited ability to predict and mitigate coastal hazards. The most significant conclusion that emerged from this review study is that the Grand Faw Port (GFP) construction most likely caused the Iraqi seashore to split into two areas, the western and the eastern, each of which has distinctive features.