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Event-Driven Shoreline Dynamics of the Nile, Indus, and Yellow River Deltas: A 50-Year Analysis of Trends and Responses

Muhammad Risha,Paul Liu

Published 2025 in Earth

ABSTRACT

The Nile, Indus, and Yellow River deltas are historically significant and have experienced extensive shoreline changes over the past 50 years, yet the roles of human interventions and natural events remain unclear. In this study, the Net Shoreline Movement and End Point Rate (EPR) were calculated to quantify the erosion and accretion of the shoreline, respectively. Subsequently, linear trend analysis was employed to identify potential directional shifts in shoreline behavior. These measures are combined with segment-scale cumulative area and the EPR trend to reveal where erosion or accretion intensifies, weakens, or reverses through time. Results show distinct, system-specific trajectories, the Nile lost ~27 km2 from 1972 to1997 as a result of the dam construction and sediment reduction, and lost only ~3 km2 more from 1997 to 2022, with local stabilization. The Indus switched from intermittent gains before 1990s to sustained loss after that, totaling ~300 km2 of cumulative land loss mainly due to upstream dam constructions and storm events. The Yellow River gained ~500 km2 from 1973 to 1996 then lost ~200 km2 after main-channel relocation and reduced sediment supply despite active-mouth management. These outcomes indicate that deltas are very vulnerable to system wide human activities and natural events. Combined, satellite-derived metrics can help prioritize locations, guide feasible interventions, establish annual monitoring and trigger action. A major caveat of this study is that yearly shoreline rates and 5–10-yearaverages can mask short-lived or very local shifts. Targeted field surveys and finer-scale modeling (hydrodynamics, subsidence monitoring, bathymetry) are therefore needed to refine the design and inform better policy choices.

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