Shoreline siltation monitoring using remote sensing techniques: Study Area: Tg. Dawai, Kedah, Malaysia

Shoreline, which is also known as coastline is the boundary between land and sea keeps changing its shape and position continuously due to dynamic environmental condition. This change is mainly associated with waves, tides, winds, periodic storms, sea level change, and the geomorphic processes of erosion and accretion and human activities. This paper describes the use of Remote Sensing data in monitoring the changes along the coastal zone including shoreline with reasonable accuracy. Remote sensing data helps and/or replaces the conventional survey by its repetitive and less cost-effectiveness. In this study, necessary data representing satellite image SPOT 5 for year 2005 and 2010 with 2.5 m resolution were integrated in order to see the temporal change and analyze the siltation effect over the years. All the processing and analysis were done using ERDAS Imagine 9.2. Monitoring changes in shoreline helps to identify the nature and processes that caused these changes in any specific area, to access the human impact and to plan management strategies. Results from data analysis had shown that there exists a close relationship existed between the open area and sedimentation loading rate, depending on their location of open areas with respect to factors such as availability of sediment, soil type, slope length and slope steepness. Findings from this study will provide the latest information and current condition of coastal Tanjung Dawai, Kedah, Malaysia and support the government's future planning to make Tanjung Dawai as a centers for fishing and enhancing their present role as the main fishing hub of state. Furthermore, this study is intending to explore the usefulness of Remote Sensing techniques in monitoring long term shoreline changes.