Anthropogenic changes to the tidal channel network, sediment rerouting, and social implications in southwest Bangladesh

Abstract:

The tidal channel network in southwest Bangladesh has been undergoing major adjustment in response to anthropogenic modification over the past few decades. Densely inhabited, agricultural islands that have been embanked to protect against inundation by tides, river flooding, and storm surges (i.e., polders) preclude tidal exchange and sedimentation. Studies reveal this results in elevation deficits relative to mean high water, endangering local communities when embankment failures occur (e.g., during storms, lateral channel erosion). In addition, many studies suggest that the decrease in tidal prism and associated change in hydrodynamics from poldering causes shoaling in remaining tidal channels, which can cause a disruption in transportation. The widespread closure and conversion of tidal channel areas to profitable shrimp aquaculture is also prevalent in this region. In this study, we quantify the direct closure of tidal channels due to poldering and shrimp aquaculture using historical Landsat and Google Earth imagery, and analyze the morphologic adjustment of the tidal channel network due to these perturbations.

In the natural Sundarbans mangrove forest, the tidal channel network has remained relatively constant since the 1970s. In contrast, construction of polders removed >1000 km of primary tidal creeks and >90 km² has been reclaimed outside of polders through infilling and closure of formerly-active, higher order conduit channels now used for shrimp aquaculture. Field validation confirm tidal restriction by large sluice gates is prevalent, favoring local channel siltation at rates up to 20cm/yr. With the impoundment of primary creeks and closure of 30-60% of conduit channels in the study area, an estimated 1,400 x 10⁶ m³ of water has been removed from the tidal prism and potentially redirected within remaining channels. This has significant implications for tidal amplification in this region. Further, we estimate that 12.3 x 10⁶ MT of sediment annually infills remaining channels, which amounts to ~12% of the total annual sediment load supplied to the tidal deltaplain. This suggests that significant sediment is available in the system for elevation remediation of polders, however the hydrodynamic feasibility of reopening clogged channels and effective sediment dispersal is questionable