Dredging and sea level rise: the case of the Niger Delta.
Type:
Presented during:
CEDA Dredging Days 2005 - Dredging: The Extremes, Rotterdam
Authors:
Odunsi H.O. and Wooldridge C. F.
Abstract: The Niger Delta is a prolific oil-producing province where major oil discoveries have been made. It is a low-lying area that covers 25,640 square kilometres of southern Nigeria. The Niger Delta is home to about 17 million people, made up of 13 distinct ethnic groups; it is known to be one of the largest deltas in the world. Geographically, the Niger Delta consists of many distinct ecological zones and stretches from the Benin River estuary for about 450 km eastwards and terminates at the mouth of the Imo River estuary. Sea level rise in the Niger Delta is caused by many factors that include coastal subsidence, which is a result of massive fluid withdrawal from porous reservoirs during oil and gas drilling. It is known that the sea level in the Niger Delta is rising at a rate of 1mm annually. The resulting submergence has led to coastal flooding which has led to the need for dredging. Dredging activities in the Niger Delta, have resulted in significant impacts on biodiversity and natural resources in this fragile ecosystem. The value of visualisation techniques that use remote sensing equipment to monitor the seabed cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, there is the need for governmental agencies to take responsibility for the control of coastal zone development in order to ensure the preservation of critical natural resources.
Keywords: sea level rise, coastal zone development, dredging activities, coastal flooding, monitoring, coastal subsidence