Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System(GIS) for Coastal Zone Management of Cochin coastal region, India

摘要

Marine ecosystems play a vital role in regulating climate and they are a major carbon sink and oxygen source. The industrial development of coast has resulted in degradation of coastal ecosystems and diminishing the living resources of exclusive economic zone in form of coastal and marine biodiversity and Productivity. To protect coastal environment, it is very much important to study the coastal habitats, and their status and consequent formulate a plan for protection. As coastal zone is very much dynamic and is changing very fast, it is prime important to study them in a temporal domain for which satellite remote sensing is the best tool. The present study area is a part of Cochin coastal region, with geographic coordinates of 9° 45' N and 76° 17' E. Cochin is officially called "Kochi". It is a city situated in the southwestern part of India in the state of Kerala. With its location on the coast of the Arabian sea it has become since the 13~(th) century an important city center for economic and Business in this area. Moderate and high resolution satellite image products LANDSAT MSSJM, ETM+ and IRS 1D LISS III were used to extract information on causative coastal land use/landform, bathymetry, erosion/accretion and subsequent define a plan for coastal zone management of this region. Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) of this region has been demarcated and overlaid over the classified image to find out various land use classes in this zone. As Cochin is the biggest harbor in Asia, it is prime important to see the changes of bathymetry in different times. The Naval Hydrographic Charts are obsolete old and not reliable as bathymetry changes are very fast. Satellite remote sensing data has a strong role in studying bathymetry an attempt has been made to derive bathymetry data from satellite image. The result is good however if the images in less suspended laden water are applied the result would be improved. Coastal landuse/landforms in various time periods and their quantification from multi-temporal satellite data have been processed. The result shows that being a dynamic coastal region, Cochin coastal area is prone to erosion and accretion in different parts. The satellite remote sensing data can be used to map erosion/accretion areas and quantity them into some extent. From the study, it is concluded that remote sensing data and GIS techniques can be used as a powerful tool for addressing various coastal issues including coastal zone management.