Shoreline evolution and erosion hotspots on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, revealed through integrated geospatial analysis

Monitoring shoreline dynamics in rapidly engineered coastal settings is essential for evidence-based coastal planning, particularly in the Arabian Gulf where reclamation, nourishment, waterfront construction, marina development, and destination-scale infrastructure continuously reshape land–water boundaries. This study quantified shoreline change and mapped relative erosion hazard around Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, using Sentinel-2 Level-2A imagery acquired in 2017, 2020, and 2025. A harmonized Google Earth Engine workflow was used to extract water extent from cloud-minimized August scenes using the Normalized Difference Water Index from which satellite-derived shorelines were delineated as land–water boundaries. Shoreline change was quantified in ArcGIS Pro by differencing the supporting water masks of consecutive dates and measuring the inter-shoreline erosion and accretion areas. Because the analysis is based on multi-temporal water masks, erosion was defined as landward expansion of water between two epochs, whereas accretion was defined as reduction of water extent and corresponding land gain. The findings show that Saadiyat Island experienced a pronounced net accretionary trend at the island scale, with mapped accretion areas reaching 691,956 m 2 during 2017–2020, 986,390 m 2 during 2020–2025, and 1,566,765 m 2 over the full 2017–2025 period. Nevertheless, this overall positive sediment balance concealed localized and persistent erosion hotspots, where erosion covered 89,611 m 2 , 149,414 m 2 , and 127,447 m 2 for the respective intervals. The 2020–2025 period was comparatively more dynamic, with erosion intensifying relative to the earlier interval. High-hazard erosion zones (>867 m 2 ) comprised 120,662 m 2 , accounting for 94.68% of the total cumulative erosion. The most severe hotspots were primarily located near the northern tip, the western waterfront, and the southeastern margins facing the channel. When considered together with official records documenting the expansion of the Saadiyat Cultural District, destination-management activation, the waterfront use of Mamsha Al Saadiyat and Mamsha Beach, the development of Hidd al Saadiyat Marina, and earlier reports on beach nourishment and groyne planning, these results suggest that shoreline evolution on Saadiyat reflects a combination of geomorphic adjustment and ongoing anthropogenic modification.