Articles | Volume 382
https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-382-327-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-382-327-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Towards unraveling total subsidence of a mega-delta – the potential of new PS InSAR data for the Mekong delta
Philip S. J. Minderhoud
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the
Netherlands
Department of Subsurface and Groundwater Systems, Deltares Research
Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Ivana Hlavacova
Gisat s.r.o., Milady Horakove 57, 170 00 Prague 7, Czech Republic
Jan Kolomaznik
Gisat s.r.o., Milady Horakove 57, 170 00 Prague 7, Czech Republic
Olaf Neussner
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ),
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 36,
53113 Bonn, Germany
Related authors
Gergino Chounna Yemele, Philip S. J. Minderhoud, Leonard Osadebamwen Ohenhen, Katharina Seeger, Manoochehr Shirzaei, and Pietro Teatini
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-336, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-336, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS).
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines coastal land subsidence in Douala, Cameroon, revealing rates between −17.6 and 3.8 mm/year. Subsidence patterns correlate with natural and anthropogenic processes, including land-use changes and urbanisation. Recently urbanised areas show higher subsidence rates than older urban zones. The findings highlight the need for further investigation, ongoing monitoring, and adaptation measures to address this environmental challenge effectively.
Katharina Seeger, Philip S. J. Minderhoud, Andreas Peffeköver, Anissa Vogel, Helmut Brückner, Frauke Kraas, Nay Win Oo, and Dominik Brill
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2257–2281, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2257-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2257-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate elevation data is essential for flood risk assessment. We assess land elevation to local mean sea level of the Ayeyarwady Delta with a new, local DEM based on geodetic data and evaluate the performance of 10 global DEMs in an SLR impact assessment. Our study reveals major differences in performance between global DEMs and consequentially introduced uncertainty in SLR impact assessments, indicating potential similar uncertainties for other data-poor coastal lowlands around the world.
Kees Nooren, Wim Z. Hoek, Tim Winkels, Annika Huizinga, Hans Van der Plicht, Remke L. Van Dam, Sytze Van Heteren, Manfred J. Van Bergen, Maarten A. Prins, Tony Reimann, Jakob Wallinga, Kim M. Cohen, Philip Minderhoud, and Hans Middelkoop
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 529–556, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-529-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-529-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We demonstrate that the world's largest beach-ridge plain in southern Mexico was formed under an ample long-term fluvial sediment supply. The beach-ridge elevation is strongly influenced by aeolian accretion during the time when the ridge is located next to the beach. The beach-ridge elevation is negatively correlated with the progradation rate, which we relate to the variability in sediment supply to the coastal zone, reflecting decadal-scale precipitation changes within the river catchment.
P. S. J. Minderhoud, G. Erkens, V. H. Pham, B. T. Vuong, and E. Stouthamer
Proc. IAHS, 372, 73–76, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-372-73-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-372-73-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Land subsidence rates of ~1-4 cm yr-1 are measured in the low-lying Vietnamese Mekong Delta. These relatively high subsidence rates are attributed to groundwater extraction, which has increased drastically over the past decades. There is an urgent need to go from measurements to predictions to test future groundwater management scenarios and reduce subsidence. In this study, we present an approach to build a 3D geo-hydrological model to determine the subsidence potential of the Mekong Delta.
Gergino Chounna Yemele, Philip S. J. Minderhoud, Leonard Osadebamwen Ohenhen, Katharina Seeger, Manoochehr Shirzaei, and Pietro Teatini
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-336, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-336, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS).
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines coastal land subsidence in Douala, Cameroon, revealing rates between −17.6 and 3.8 mm/year. Subsidence patterns correlate with natural and anthropogenic processes, including land-use changes and urbanisation. Recently urbanised areas show higher subsidence rates than older urban zones. The findings highlight the need for further investigation, ongoing monitoring, and adaptation measures to address this environmental challenge effectively.
Katharina Seeger, Philip S. J. Minderhoud, Andreas Peffeköver, Anissa Vogel, Helmut Brückner, Frauke Kraas, Nay Win Oo, and Dominik Brill
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2257–2281, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2257-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2257-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate elevation data is essential for flood risk assessment. We assess land elevation to local mean sea level of the Ayeyarwady Delta with a new, local DEM based on geodetic data and evaluate the performance of 10 global DEMs in an SLR impact assessment. Our study reveals major differences in performance between global DEMs and consequentially introduced uncertainty in SLR impact assessments, indicating potential similar uncertainties for other data-poor coastal lowlands around the world.
Kees Nooren, Wim Z. Hoek, Tim Winkels, Annika Huizinga, Hans Van der Plicht, Remke L. Van Dam, Sytze Van Heteren, Manfred J. Van Bergen, Maarten A. Prins, Tony Reimann, Jakob Wallinga, Kim M. Cohen, Philip Minderhoud, and Hans Middelkoop
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 529–556, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-529-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-529-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We demonstrate that the world's largest beach-ridge plain in southern Mexico was formed under an ample long-term fluvial sediment supply. The beach-ridge elevation is strongly influenced by aeolian accretion during the time when the ridge is located next to the beach. The beach-ridge elevation is negatively correlated with the progradation rate, which we relate to the variability in sediment supply to the coastal zone, reflecting decadal-scale precipitation changes within the river catchment.
P. S. J. Minderhoud, G. Erkens, V. H. Pham, B. T. Vuong, and E. Stouthamer
Proc. IAHS, 372, 73–76, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-372-73-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-372-73-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Land subsidence rates of ~1-4 cm yr-1 are measured in the low-lying Vietnamese Mekong Delta. These relatively high subsidence rates are attributed to groundwater extraction, which has increased drastically over the past decades. There is an urgent need to go from measurements to predictions to test future groundwater management scenarios and reduce subsidence. In this study, we present an approach to build a 3D geo-hydrological model to determine the subsidence potential of the Mekong Delta.
Cited articles
Do, V. L., Nguyen, D. V., Tran, V. T., Tran, V. N., Trinh, M. P., and Ma, C. C.:
The primary results of monitoring of present aggradation and degradation in
Song Cuu Long plain during 2013–2014 stage,
Tap Chi Dia Chat – Loat A, 7–12, 83–94, 2015 (in Vietnamese, English summary).
Erban, L. E., Gorelick, S. M., Zebker, H., and Fendorf, S.: Release of
arsenic to deep groundwater in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, linked to
pumping-induced land subsidence, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 110,
13751–13756, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1300503110, 2013.
Erban, L. E., Gorelick, S. M., and Zebker, H. A.: Groundwater extraction,
land subsidence, and sea-level rise in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, Environ.
Res. Lett., 9, 091002, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/9/8/084010, 2014.
Eslami, S., Hoekstra, P., Nguyen Trung, N., Ahmed Kantoush, S., Van Binh, D., Duc Dung, D., and van der Vegt, M.: Tidal amplification and salt intrusion in the Mekong Delta driven by anthropogenic sediment starvation, Sci. Rep., 9, 18746, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-55018-9, 2019.
ESMN-057: Copernicus Emergency Management Service – Risk & Recovery Mapping (ESMN) activation 057: Ground subsidence analyses, Mekong Delta, Vietnam, available at: https://emergency.copernicus.eu/mapping/list-of-components/EMSN057 (last access: 25 March 2020), 2018.
ESMN-062: Copernicus Emergency Management Service – Risk & Recovery Mapping (ESMN) activation 062: Assessing changes in ground subsidence rates, Mekong Delta,
Vietnam, available at:
https://emergency.copernicus.eu/mapping/list-of-components/EMSN062 (last access: 25 March 2020), 2019.
Ferretti, A., Prati, C., and Rocca, F.: Permanent Scatterers in SAR Interferometry, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 39, 8–20, https://doi.org/10.1109/36.898661, 2001.
Karlsrud, K.: Preliminary results of land subsidence monitoring in
the Ca Mau province, Vietnam International Water Week (VACI), Conference Proceedings VACI 2019, 4, 2019.
Karlsrud, K. and Vangelsten, B. V.: Subsidence and land loss in the Ca Mau
province – Vietnam, Causes, concequences and mitigration options, Geotechnical Engineering Journal of the SEAGS & AGSSEA
Vol. 48, ISSN 0046-5828,
2017.
Karlsrud, K., Tunbridge, L., and Nguyen, Q.: Land subsidence in Ca Mau province, Vietnam. Results from phase 2 – pilot monitoring project, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Document no: 20120075-02-R, 2017.
Minderhoud, P. S. J., Erkens, G., Pham Van, H., Bui Tran, V., Erban, L.E.,
Kooi, H., and Stouthamer, E.: Impacts of 25 years of groundwater
extraction on subsidence in the Mekong delta, Vietnam, Environ. Res. Lett.,
12, 6, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7146, 2017.
Minderhoud, P. S. J, Middelkoop, H., Erkens, G., and Stouthamer, E.: Groundwater extraction may drown mega-delta: projections of extraction-induced subsidence and elevation of the Mekong delta for the 21th century, Environmental Research Communications, https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ab5e21, 2020.
Takagi, H., Thao, N. D., and Anh, L. T. Sea-level rise and land subsidence:
Impacts on flood projections for the Mekong Delta's largest city, Sustain.
8, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.3390/su8090959, 2016.
Zoccarato, C., Minderhoud, P. S. J., and Teatini, P.: The role of
sedimentation and natural compaction in a prograding delta: insights from
the mega Mekong delta, Vietnam, Sci. Rep., 8, 11437, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29734-7, 2018.
Short summary
The populous and low-lying Vietnamese Mekong delta is facing accelerating subsidence rates and effective mitigation strategies are urgently needed to save-guard the future sustainability of the delta. This paper gathers results from existing measurements and estimates of subsidence in the Mekong delta and presents new, delta-wide estimates of subsidence based on satelite measures. We outline a planned approach to advance towards improved quantitation of individual subsidence drivers.
The populous and low-lying Vietnamese Mekong delta is facing accelerating subsidence rates and...