Geomorphology
Dune Dynamics on the Polish Baltic Coast
How wind, sand supply and vegetation interact to shape the dune systems at Łeba, Czołpino and along Mierzeja Wiślana.
Baltic Coast · Poland
Shore Protection
Shore Protection
on the Polish Baltic
An overview of dune systems, engineering structures and erosion observation methods along the southern Baltic coastline in Poland.
Articles
Coastal Research Topics
Three areas central to understanding how Poland's Baltic shore changes and how it is managed.
Coastal Engineering
Breakwaters and Shore Protection Structures
A look at the types, placement and long-term effects of hard coastal defence measures used along Poland's Baltic shoreline.
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Monitoring
Coastal Erosion Monitoring Methods
From traditional surveying to satellite-derived shoreline change detection — how researchers track erosion rates on the Polish Baltic coast.
Context
Why the Polish Baltic Coast Erodes
Poland's roughly 500 km of Baltic coastline is composed almost entirely of sandy sediment. This makes it inherently mobile. Storm surges, long-term sea-level trends and changes in sediment transport driven by engineering works all contribute to shoreline shifts that are measured in metres per year at some locations.
The coast is divided into sections with different behaviour: accumulating stretches near river mouths contrast with strongly erosive segments, particularly downdrift of harbour breakwaters. The Hel Peninsula and the barrier systems of Mierzeja Wiślana and Mierzeja Helska are especially sensitive to sediment budget changes.
Systematic monitoring by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW-PIB) and the Polish Geological Institute (PIG-PIB) provides the data basis for management decisions along the coast.
Key Coastal Features
- Słowiński National Park – mobile dunes near Łeba, designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
- Hel Peninsula – narrow sand bar, 35 km long, separating Bay of Puck from the open Baltic
- Mierzeja Wiślana – barrier spit between the Vistula Lagoon and the Baltic Sea
- Wolin Island – cliffed sections of glacial till at the western end of the coast
- Harbour breakwaters at Świnoujście, Ustka, Darłowo, Kołobrzeg and Gdańsk
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