Assessing Geomorphologic Changes of the Mehran River Delta using Remote Sensing and GIS (Bandar Lenga, Hormozgan Province)

Delta areas are dynamic features with changes occurring at many spatial and temporal scales due to catastrophic events. Change detection and providing a fluvial map of changes are the main requirements for environmental and zonal planners in many studies. Geomorphic changes such as temporal and periodic changes in riverbeds are common events in all delta areas. The Mehran river delta is located in the west of Hormozgan Province. Changes in various geomorphic features, shuch as riverbed migration, during a 21-year period, were detected and identified using landsat TM and ETM satellite data and topographic maps. Simple band subtraction and linear directional mean were used to identify changes in the case study. The results of this study showed that the Mehran river channel has migrated several times over the last 21 years so that several meanders and ox-bow lakes remain as a result of migration. Moreover, a slight change in coast line toward the Persian Gulf has been identified as a result of migration and deposition. The changes in the vegetation cover area in this zone which has a mangrove vegetation cover have been noticeable, so that these covers have incremental trend according to undergone action in artificial forests. The results of this study may be used in an integrated coastal zone information system as it has been proposed for the Mehran river delta.