Deltaic floodplains development and wetland ecosystems management in the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Rivers Delta in Bangladesh

Abstract

The Ganges delta has a great importance for its exceptional hydro-geological settings and deltaic floodplain wetland ecosystems. The floodplain is formed by the deposition of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna River. The physical characteristics of floodplains, geographic location, the multiplicity of rivers and the monsoon climate render wetland ecosystems highly vulnerable to natural disaster and anthropogenic activities. Flooding is a natural annual phenomenon of a river system which occupies a unique position in the culture, society and economy of Bangladesh. There are 257 rivers in Bangladesh, from which 59 rivers are transboundary rivers. All of these rivers play a prospective role in the economic development of the country. The deltaic floodplains of the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Rivers Delta are undergoing rapid hydro-morphological changes due to natural and anthropogenic causes. Historically, these three rivers have played a strong role in formation of deltaic floodplains and wetland ecosystems in the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna (GBM) Rivers Delta. The GBM rivers system is continuously developing the active deltaic floodplains in the coastal region of Bangladesh. The deltaic wetlands are under threat due to extension of agricultural land use, shrimp cultivation, and saline water intrusion in the tidally active delta region. The main reasons of ecosystem degradation are the settlements development, urbanization processes and substantial uses of deltaic natural resources. The study investigated the role of river systems in the formation and development process of delta and salinity intrusion and its impact on wetland ecosystems in the tidally active deltaic floodplains in the coastal region. The objective of this study is to understand the role of river systems in the delta formation process and an analysis of deltaic floodplain and degraded wetland ecosystems of the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Rivers Delta in Bangladesh.