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coast and offshore zones. The Holocene sea fluctuated in the course of the last 6,000 years
and the marked regression is indicated between 3,000 to 5,000 years B.C.
There are more than 100 rivers, which bring large quantities of sediments to the coast.
The mightier ones are the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Krishna, Godavari and Cauvery on the east
coast and Narmada and Tapi on the north-west coast.
The continental shelf is narrow along the east coast. On the west coast, the wide shelf
of about 340 kms of the north tapers to less than 60 kms in the south. With a monsoon
climate, the southwesterly winds during the period from June to September bring high waves
closer to the southwest coast. The east coast generally becomes active during the cyclones of
the northeast monsoon period (October-November). The tidal range also varies significantly
from south to north. While the southern coast, have a tidal range of less than 1 metre, the
northwest peaks at 11 metres and the northeast reaches 4 metres.
Gujarat coast can be classified into five regions viz., the Rann of Kachchh, the Gulf of
Kachchh, the Saurashtra Coast, the Gulf of Khambat and the South Gujarat Coast. The
coastal area of Gujarat including the Rann of Kachchh is the largest in the country and covers
an area of about 28,500 sq km. The Ranns of Kachchh comprise of the Great Rann and the
Little Rann, which remain saline desert for the greater part of the year. The area of the lower
Indus deltaic plain situated on the west of the Great Rann of Kachchh is characterised by the
tidal creeks (e.g. Kori creek) and mangroves. High tidal flats with or without salt
encrustations are seen. In the Gulf of Kachchh shoreline has extensive mudflats and is highly
intended with a number of cliffed rocky islands. It is fringed by coral reefs at many places.
Mangroves, algae, salt marsh, dunes and salt pans are common. The Saurashtra coast is less
intended, but has numerous cliffs, islands, tidal flats, estuaries and embayments. Dunes (near
Mahuva), sandy beaches, spits, bars, bays, marshes and estuaries predominate. Raised
beaches area present around Veraval and Porbandar. The presence of 2-3 strandlines (old
shorelines) for most part of the Saurashtra coast and the cliffs with undercutting reveal the
dynamic nature of mudflats, dunes and sporadic beaches. The different levels of mudflats
and other features are indicative of high tidal range (upto 11 m). The paleomudflats are
related to the phenomenon of regression of the Flandrian sea. The south Gujarat coast is
comparatively uniform and is broken by few indentations. Series of estuaries, creeks,
mudflats and marsh vegetation are present. The river mouths of Purna, Ambica and
Damanganga are eroding. Deposition is observed near Umargam. Similar geomorphology
continues upto Mumbai in Maharashtra. This region has extensive creek systems which are
flanked by mudflats, mangroves and saltpans. Numerous islands both barrier and offshore
are observed. Isolated cliffs and sandy beaches are seen.
The southern Maharashtra and Goa coasts are characterized by pocket beaches
flanked by raised platform, rocky cliffs and promontories (all of Deccan basalt), estuaries,
bays and mangroves. Mudflats are found mainly along estuaries, bays and creeks. Ratnagiri
has rich mangrove forests. Iron ore mines are located at Redi. The Ma rmagao bay flanked
by Mandovi and Zuari estuaries is the largest estuarine system on this part of the coast.
Beaches in Goa are long, linear and wide and are flanked by headlands (promontories).
These beaches are extensively used for recreation.
The coastal zone of Karnataka is narrow except around estuaries. Headlands and
pocket beaches characaterize the northern coast (Ankola -Karwar) and long linear beaches are
seen on the southern coast. Spits, estuaries, mudflats, shallow lagoons, islands and few
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