Tran Van Dien
Institute of Marine Environment and Resources,
Vietnam
Email: [email protected]
Stretching on the coastline of 70 km, the Tam Giang – Cau Hai Lagoon plays a very important role for the coastal ecology and socio-economical development of Hue region where was Vietnam’s Ancient Kingdom Capital and recognized as a World’s Cultural Heritage. Recently, due to natural and human influcences, morphological of lagoon have changed rapidly such as inlet movment and fill up, coastal erosion, flood and inundation, reduction of water area by aquaculture pond development, etc. These changes have impacted on lagoon environment, resources, ecosystems, socio-economic and sustainable development of this coastal area. This paper presents a case study using remote sensing data in combination with ground survey to assess morphological change in Tam Giang – Cau Hai lagoon in recent decades. During its natural evolution, the lagoon has been being in three situations of only one, two and three inlets. By one another, the situations are replaced due to the change in enclose, open and displacement of inlets. Coastal ersosion occured seriously at inlet areas when it opened or displacement toward new balance condition. Flood and inundation occurs every rainy season in plain arround lagoon. The historical flood happened in early of November 1999 with six days long, impacted on seven provinces in Vietnam Center, created very terrible damages for Thua Thien Hue province. Aquaculture has strongly developed in recent years. Area of aquaculture pond in 1997 is three times in 1989. Area of aquaculture pond in 2001 is five times in 1997. Remote sensing data with capability of regular update, large area coverage is effective provide realtime and continuous information on morphological change of laogoon.
