TY - CHAP
T1 - Innovative technique of predicting shoreline change in developing countries
T2 - Case of accra erosion and causal factors
AU - Appeaning-Addo, Kwasi
AU - Lamptey, Emmanuel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - The world over, coastal zones are known to support a wide range of critical habitats, unique biodiversity, host 50% of human populations and site development projects. These make coastal zones quite complex, dynamic and fragile and therefore challenging to manage. Shoreline status assessment is an invaluable tool for coastal resource management given the escalating impacts of emerging global geophysical changes, such as rising sea levels, and rapid coastal development. In this contribution, shoreline change detection of Accra, Ghana was modeled with an innovative technique that combined dated historic maps, aerial photography, satellite imagery, conventional or global position system (GPS) ground surveys and laser altimetry data. Such a technique shows the relative response of coastal geomorphic features and geology to coastal processes. The results of the assessment revealed that the Accra shoreline has receded at an average rate of 1.13 m/year, which is attributable to several factors. This rate of change poses a looming threat to coastal lands and infrastructure in the zone. Essentially, this study demonstrate that reliable historic erosion rates can be estimated using the proposed technique for developing nations where geospatial data is scarce. These findings have important implications for formulating reliable and sustainable coastal management strategies in developing countries.
AB - The world over, coastal zones are known to support a wide range of critical habitats, unique biodiversity, host 50% of human populations and site development projects. These make coastal zones quite complex, dynamic and fragile and therefore challenging to manage. Shoreline status assessment is an invaluable tool for coastal resource management given the escalating impacts of emerging global geophysical changes, such as rising sea levels, and rapid coastal development. In this contribution, shoreline change detection of Accra, Ghana was modeled with an innovative technique that combined dated historic maps, aerial photography, satellite imagery, conventional or global position system (GPS) ground surveys and laser altimetry data. Such a technique shows the relative response of coastal geomorphic features and geology to coastal processes. The results of the assessment revealed that the Accra shoreline has receded at an average rate of 1.13 m/year, which is attributable to several factors. This rate of change poses a looming threat to coastal lands and infrastructure in the zone. Essentially, this study demonstrate that reliable historic erosion rates can be estimated using the proposed technique for developing nations where geospatial data is scarce. These findings have important implications for formulating reliable and sustainable coastal management strategies in developing countries.
KW - Coastal erosion
KW - Littoral drift
KW - Root mean square error
KW - Shoreline change
KW - Shoreline position
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85052001287&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-94-007-5234-4_14
DO - 10.1007/978-94-007-5234-4_14
M3 - Chapter
AN - SCOPUS:85052001287
T3 - Coastal Research Library
SP - 367
EP - 402
BT - Coastal Research Library
PB - Springer
ER -