The CVI (coastal vulnerability index) was developed and used to assess the vulnerability of the coastline of the Kingdom of Bahrain main islands to future SLR (sea level rise). A total of 717 km of the coastline w...The CVI (coastal vulnerability index) was developed and used to assess the vulnerability of the coastline of the Kingdom of Bahrain main islands to future SLR (sea level rise). A total of 717 km of the coastline was evaluated. Six spatial factors acting on the coastal area: erosion/accretion patterns (shoreline change), topography (elevation above mean sea level), geology, geomorphology, slope, and mean sea level rise were incorporated and ranked to develop the CVI. This index was classified into four levels of vulnerability: low, moderate, high, and very high. Vulnerable hotspots are located along the central portions of the western and eastern coastlines. The vulnerability of these areas is mostly driven by their characteristically shallow coastal slopes, low elevations, and erosion-prone nature of the sandy soils presents, comprising about 54 km of the studied shoreline. Another 33 km of coastline were classified as highly vulnerable and located along the eastern coast. In addition, the western coast of the southern tip of the main island (Bahrain) was also classified as a highly vulnerable shoreline. Twenty-two km was classified as the moderate vulnerable. The remaining coastal areas were classified as low to moderately vulnerable comprising about 608 km of the total length of the coastline. Identifying those hotspots susceptible to SLR is essential for more effective coastal zone management and to help in reducing the impacts of SLR on both infrastructure and human beings.展开更多
文摘The CVI (coastal vulnerability index) was developed and used to assess the vulnerability of the coastline of the Kingdom of Bahrain main islands to future SLR (sea level rise). A total of 717 km of the coastline was evaluated. Six spatial factors acting on the coastal area: erosion/accretion patterns (shoreline change), topography (elevation above mean sea level), geology, geomorphology, slope, and mean sea level rise were incorporated and ranked to develop the CVI. This index was classified into four levels of vulnerability: low, moderate, high, and very high. Vulnerable hotspots are located along the central portions of the western and eastern coastlines. The vulnerability of these areas is mostly driven by their characteristically shallow coastal slopes, low elevations, and erosion-prone nature of the sandy soils presents, comprising about 54 km of the studied shoreline. Another 33 km of coastline were classified as highly vulnerable and located along the eastern coast. In addition, the western coast of the southern tip of the main island (Bahrain) was also classified as a highly vulnerable shoreline. Twenty-two km was classified as the moderate vulnerable. The remaining coastal areas were classified as low to moderately vulnerable comprising about 608 km of the total length of the coastline. Identifying those hotspots susceptible to SLR is essential for more effective coastal zone management and to help in reducing the impacts of SLR on both infrastructure and human beings.