Dynamics of the Nemunas River delta front during the period 1910–2005

Abstract

Pupienis, D., Žilinskas, G., Jarmalavicius, D., Satkūnas, J., 2012. Dynamics of the Nemunas River delta front during the period 1910-2005. Baltica, 25 (1), 45-56. Vilnius. ISSN 0067-3064. Abstract An analysis of changes in the coastline of the Nemunas River delta front was undertaken with GIS based on cartographic material representing a 95 year period. Delta development was analysed comparing two time periods: 1910-1958 and 1958-2005. Quantitative indicators of land area determined during the study in- dicate that land in the northern part of the Nemunas delta front decreased more than 2.1 times in the 1958-2005 period, compared to the previous 1910-1958 period. The main reasons for the decrease of sediment accumula- tion are a decrease Nemunas River runoff, and a similar decrease of sediment particulates, due to anthropogenic activity and natural factors a rise in the water levels of the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon, as well as land subsidence in the Nemunas delta region.