Relation between river dynamics and coastal changes in Albania: An assessment integrating satellite imagery with historical data

Abstract

The geomorphology of three major river deltas in Albania (Shkumbini, Semani and Vjose) was studied using Landsat multi-spectral imagery. Palaeohydrological studies using meander geometric properties concluded that all rivers decreased their discharges in the first half of the present century due to land reclamation and creation of irrigation networks. The comparison between paleohydrological assessments and recent measurements at gauging stations confirmed that simple formulae overestimate mean water discharge. The deltas of the three rivers have a rapidly changing morphology, so that the traditional tripartite delta classification has a limited applicability. A comparison between the sediment yields of these rivers with worldwide examples points out that they are extremely active hydrological systems.