The Carbonera Lagoon inlet has experienced a very dynamic evolution since its opening in 1988 due to Hurricane Gilbert, and a sand spit has grown at an average rate of 100m/year. Besides, this spit has been breached in two occasions (2002 and 2006), modifying the hydrodynamics of the lagoon and the sediment dynamics in the adjacent beaches.

By means of field measurements of flow through the inlet, geometry (topobathymetry) of the spit and water levels at different locations inside the lagoon, a better understanding of its dynamics will be achieved. Besides, numerical simulations of the hydrodynamics and sediment transport will be performed, firstly with idealized geometries and simplified forcings, in order to identify the predominant processes acting on spit geometry and evolution.