Mega-Delta Working Group

River deltas are critical for human development as they support a variety of social-economical activities and ecosystems. However, there is a general trend that the delta growth rate is decreasing, resulting in intensified delta erosion and increasing flooding risk; salt-marshes and mangroves are shrinking and the ecosystem is under threat. This has become a global issue needing international collaboration to address.

To deal with the increasing risks the deltas are facing, in this FEC Work Group, we propose to systematically and inter-disciplinarily investigate the present status of ~25 representative deltas and the threatens they are facing, the methodology for new delta blueprints, the blueprints dealing with critical delta characteristics, and the sustainability of the delta system and its capacity to support regional development for deltas of different physical processes and ecological and economic importance.

The objective is to find the solutions to support sustainable and eco-friendly human and nature development in delta regions, and to increase resilience to external changes as regards to river-borne sediment supply decline, sea-level rise, stormy conditions, and the conflicts between human activities and nature conservation.

Main Contact:

Leicheng Guo, State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University