A practical framework for deriving beach management insights on data- and resource-scarce coasts: A case study of Dollymount Strand, Ireland

Effective beach management depends on a fundamental understanding of how beach morphology evolves over seasonal to decadal timescales. Understanding coastal morphological evolution typically relies on extensive spatiotemporal datasets and complex numerical models, requiring significant resources and specialised expertise. On many coasts, data and resources are limited and alternative approaches to gaining coastal management insights are required. Centred on the practical application of beach state theory we design a methodological framework, based on the two-step model developed by McLachlan et al. (2018), aimed at supporting coastal management on Dollymount Strand, Dublin, Ireland, an area lacking systematic geomorphological assessment and monitoring. The framework is comprised of two key components: (1) the prediction of morphodynamic beach state (via the two-step model), and (2) the validation of this predicted beach state with cross-shore profile surveys. Results from the two-year pilot application of this framework on Dollymount Strand, Dublin, Ireland, reveal significant insights into seasonal and storm-driven beach state transitions occurring on the upper beach. While sandy beach dynamics are inherently site-specific, the development of a scalable and adaptable framework, rooted in established beach state theory, has the potential to further develop the work of McLachlan et al. (2018) to enhance the usability of beach state theory and the two-step model for coastal management purposes for other sites globally.