GEOMORPHOLOGY AND EROSIVE PROCESSES IN THE NORTH COAST OF CORDOBA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN (SECTOR PASO NUEVO-CRISTO REY)

Abstract

As a contribution to the implementation of the National Environmental Polices for the Sustainable Development of Oceanic Spaces and Coastal and Insular Zones of Colombia, the physical characterization of the north littoral of Cordoba department (Paso Nuevo-Cristo Rey), was undertaken. The aim of doing it, was to determine which are the causes of the erosive processes that are present and to suggest solutions that help to reduce the vulnerability of the coastal populations of the area. In this area Tertiary sediments of fluvio-marine origin, are cropping fractured, weathered and slightly folded. The geomorphological characteristics show that the fluvio-marine terraces, which are limited by cliffs of up to 15 m of height, are the most represented unit and simultaneously more affected by the different erosive processes. About abundance, they are followed by mangroves and hills-mountains. The erosive processes along the littoral are helped by: the waves that head-on beat against the cliffs, causing gradual detachment of materials; weak coastal drift currents, with principal direction southwest, that together with the lack of sediments caused by the scarce contribution of the rivers and the materials of very fine size in the cliffs, do not contribute to the beach formation; the geological conditions show a fragile rock, prone to the degradation; intense runoff waters during the rain periods; the mud diapirism and the relative sea level rise are regional active phenomena; these processes, in most of cases, are intensified by the human intervention, showed mainly by the indiscriminate construction of structures and extraction of materials (sands and mangroves).