Quadros, Clécio José Lopes de 
  
smaller influence of tides, constituting progradation littoral zones. When composed by fine sand it may occur 
superficial aeolic rework creating the dune ridges. 
Beach ridges are important on the coastal zone because they protect against storm waves that reach the 
coast. It is common in many places the removal of these environments for the construction of houses, this act 
has many times as a consequence the beginning of coastal erosive processes. 
This study represents the begin of diagnostic studies, modeling and management of one of the last areas 
of beach ridges from Paraná coast — Brazil. For such study, were used techniques of spatial analysis based on 
GIS. 
2. STUDY AREA 
The studied area consists on a portion of 2.2 km? of beach ridges located at the South mouth of the 
estuary of the Bay of Paranaguá — Paraná — Brazil, on the co-ordinates 25?34-30'S; 48?20-25"W (Figure 1). This 
portion of beach ridges is an area where a strong progradation of its coastline has occurred, representing a 
typical situation of bays outlets, where the adjustment to the energy supplied by the dynamical variables, as 
waves, tides, currents and winds is very fast. According to Soares ef al. (1997), certain sectors show an 
advancement of approximately 700m in 40 years, with averaged advancement of 17,5 m/year. 
  
    
Ce 1 Paranaguá Bay — 
  
Siudy Area 
1 : i L_ 
  
  
  
Figure 1. Study area location 
  
1200 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000.