Long and Short-Term Shoreline Changes Along Mangalore Coast, India

Eighteen kilometers long coastal stretch from the New Mangalore Port in the north to Talapadi in the south has been studied in order to understand shoreline changes and erosion/accretion patterns that have taken place due to the natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Shoreline changes and quantification of beach erosion/accretion were made using the Survey of India topomap, multidated satellite images and beach profile surveys. During 1967-97 period, most of the beaches were accreted, except those lie just towards south of the Netravati and Gurpur river mouth in Sector III. During 1997-2001 period also, the beaches showed accretion trend, but they were subjected to severe erosion during 2001-05 in all the four sectors. The beaches in Sectors I-III are polluted due to discharges of effluents and very poor maintenance.