Shoreline evolution in a low-lying coastal region under anthropogenic influence

This study aims to reconstruct and analyze shoreline evolution along the highly urbanized Emilia-Romagna coast (Italy) over the period 1984-2023 using satellite-derived shorelines. Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery were processed with the CoastSat toolbox, and shoreline positions were corrected for tide and wave setup before deriving yearly averages from 2,200 transects. While the spatial resolution of yearly-averaged SDS is lower than that of conventional techniques, this approach enables, for the first time in this region, the reconstruction of shoreline dynamics as a continuous time series spanning interannual to multi-decadal scales. Results highlight substantial spatial and temporal variability across the shoreline, driven by the interplay of natural processes and anthropogenic interventions such as coastal defenses, repeated nourishments, and sediment extraction. Despite ongoing sea-level rise and subsidence, most of the coast exhibits stability or net advancement, largely maintained through human interventions. The resulting dataset provides one of the most temporally extensive records of shoreline variability for the Emilia-Romagna coast and represents a valid basis for future monitoring and coastal management. • 40-year continuous annual shoreline time series for Emilia-Romagna. • Tide/wave-corrected observations resolve interannual-to-multi-decadal changes. • Human-driven shoreline stability despite sea-level rise and subsidence. • Nourishments, extractions, and hard structures drive non-linear evolution. • Strong variability observed between neighboring coastal sectors.