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Effect of Terrestial Processes and Human Activities on River Discharge, and their Impact on the Coastal Zone

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Coastal Zone Management Imperative for Maritime Developing Nations

Part of the book series: Coastal Systems and Continental Margins ((CSCM,volume 3))

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Abstract

Rivers draining southern Asia and the high-standing islands in Oceania discharge a disproportionate amount of water and sediment to the oceans. The high water discharge results from heavy precipitation, whereas the high sediment fluxes reflect drainage basin character (mountainous terrain, predominance of erodable strata, periodically heavy rainfall, and — in Oceania particularly — many small river basins). Farming and deforestation (beginning 2000–2500 years ago), as well as more recent urbanization, have elevated sediment yields locally by mire than an order of magnitude. In the near future terrestrial erosion rates probably will continue to increase (particularly in Asia), but the transfer of both water and sediment to the sea almost certainly will decrease as more dams and other river projects come into production.

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Authors
  1. John D. Milliman
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Bilal U. Haq

  2. Paris, France

    Syed M. Haq  & Gunnar Kullenberg  & 

  3. The Hague, The Netherlands

    Jan H. Stel

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© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Milliman, J.D. (1997). Effect of Terrestial Processes and Human Activities on River Discharge, and their Impact on the Coastal Zone. In: Haq, B.U., Haq, S.M., Kullenberg, G., Stel, J.H. (eds) Coastal Zone Management Imperative for Maritime Developing Nations. Coastal Systems and Continental Margins, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1066-4_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1066-4_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4922-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-1066-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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