LANDSCAPE ARCHAEOlOGY. EGYPT AND THE ... - CFEETK - CNRS

Programme and abstracts volume
AMR Mohamed Sabry Mahsop 1
Human impacts on the coastal landforms of the Nile Delta, Egypt
1 Ain Shams University, Faculty of Arts, Department of Geography, Egypt
Presenting author: Mohamed Sabry Mahsop Amr
E-mail: mahsop2005@yahoo.com
The initial state of the coastal plain of the Nile Delta can be inferred from many data sources
such as old topographic maps, historical charts and archeological literatures depict a lesser
degree of human impacts since the predynastic period. Recent geomorphological studies
concerning the coastal plain of the Nile Delta using TM and MSS Landsat images (1986-
2003), aerial photos (1955-1983), and topographic maps (1940, 1967, 1983, 1991)
accompanied by field studies revealed that the human impacts greatly varies between slight
and sever through the time. Coastal landforms were widely exposed to human modification
since the beginning of the 20 th century. During the last two decades sever deterioration has
been occurred along different sectors of the coastal plain leading to hazardous events which
can be summarized as follows:
- Changes of the shoreline accompanied with erosion versus accretion, especially for
navigation and property damages.
- Removing of the foredunes that have been quarried and used for establishing resorts.
- Shrinking of the coastal lagoons to be reclaimed for aquaculture.
It is so important to monitor the rapid changes of the coastal dynamic and to put a national
strategy for coastal management.
26