Coastal evolution between two giant rivers: The Chan May embayment in central Vietnam

Abstract:

The coastal landscapes of Vietnam are dominated in the north and south by the very large Red and Mekong rivers. Central Vietnam, in contrast, has few large rivers that flow to the coastal zone. This coupled with the high relief (>1500 m) of the granitic Truong Son Range and shallow gradient continental shelf, has produced two different coastal geomorphologies. The first is a shallow basin infilled with a sequence of parallel, arcuate beach ridges, and the second includes the development of shore-parallel spits and coastal lagoons. All systems are Holocene in age and we present evidence of the Holocene evolution of the northward-facing, beach ridge strandplain located in the Chan May embayment, approximately 35 km north of Danang. This embayment is relatively small (5 km long at the beach and with a beach ridge sequence that spans 11 km from the modern beach to the base of the Truong Son Range) compared to other beach ridge strandplains to the north and south and serves as an analogue for the evolution of these larger systems.

The Holocene evolution of the embayment was resolved using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), high-resolution sedimentological analysis and quartz Optically Stimulated Luminescence were used to investigate the internal stratigraphy and chronological development of the beach ridges at Chan May. The strandplain contains uniform, clean quartz-rich sediment interspersed by thin heavy mineral rich bands forming shallow-gradient beach ridges that have steadily prograded seaward during the regression after the mid-Holocene sea level highstand. As the beach ridges prograded seaward, a small river feeding directly from the Truong Son Range meandered across the strandplain and significantly modified the embayment. Recently, the river has become much reduced due to anthropogenic modification of the river and landscape. Prior to the Holocene marine highstand, the area was similarly characterized by a surface of prograding beach ridges that were eroded by large river channels.

The Chan May embayment is frequently impacted by large typhoons and the associated storm surge has caused significant economic damage. The impact of storm surge has not been adequately investigated or appropriate planning and management protocols developed in light of the ongoing development of a major port and economic hub in this region.