GIS, MULTI-DATE AND MULTI-SOURCE DATA FOR DETERMINING SHORELINE CHANGES: A CASE FOR GAUTAMI GODAVARI DELTA, EAST COAST OF INDIA

• Main Authors: de Solan, B., Muthusankar, Gowrappan, Lo Seen, D., Thierry, B., V. Raman, A., Satyanarayana, B.
• Other Authors: Institut Français de Pondichéry (IFP), Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (MEAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2001
• Subjects: [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Hope Island; Hope island
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04103404; https://hal.science/hal-04103404/document; https://hal.science/hal-04103404/file/Full_paperMuthusankar_shoreline%20changes.PDF

International audience Accretion and erosion processes in the Godavari delta south of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh are intense as viewed from changes in the shoreline itself. This was particularly visible in the formation and growth of a 17 km long, narrow sand spit that separates Kakinada Bay from the open sea. With a view to understand the overall dynamics of shoreline changes attributable to major shifts in the River pattern and other geo-morphological events within this delta, the present study was undertaken based on crucial information furnished through British Admiralty charts that date back to 1861, Survey of India toposheets, satellite images of last 20 years and other aids. The findings revealed that the Bay-estuary areas and the 'Hope Island' emerged fairly rapidly until 1930's with an average of 15-20 ha/year caused by heavy import of sediments from the Gautami Godavari River. During the second half of last century when River Godavari shifted its course, deposition became less prominent there but the activity moved southwards. At present, the whole area is involved in an erosion phase except at Nilarevu mouth. In the paper, an attempt is made to explain these phenomena vis-à-vis the causative agencies both natural (e.g. inshore currents, littoral drift) and man-made processes such as port expansion episodes etc.