Coastal Sedimentation Problem at El Hamra Jetty,West of Alexandria, Egypt

El Hamra Harbour Jetty 200m length is located at about 120 km to the west of Alexandria, figure 1. The shoreline of the study area is oriented into two segments,which are nearly perpendicular to each other and separated by Ras-Shakeek headland. The first segment is 1.4 km in the west/east direction, while the second one is 3.8 km in the north/south direction. The natural coastline is not a straight one. It includes series of embayments and pocket beaches ranging from 20m to 150m length.The largest embayment hosts El-Hamra Jetty. At its seaward end a caisson with a pump system was fixed near the sea bed at water depth 3.5m. This system is usually used as a fire distinguish tool in cases of emergency. Before 1991 this area was dynamically stable but since 1991, it was noticed that the rocky pocket beaches and large embayment were filled with carbonate sand and extended up to the caisson site.This siltation process has completely blocked the 8-inlets of the caisson and the pumping operation have been negatively affected.