International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B7. Istanbul 2004
8 Sheltered Consist of vertical rock walls,
Rocky Shores | bedrock outcrops, wide rock
platforms, and bolder strewn
ledges. Usually found along
sheltered bays and/or along
the inside of bays and coves
9 Sheltered These are composed of very
Tidal Flats soft mud or muddy sand. They
occur at the head of bays and
in wetland areas. Wave
activity is low and they may
be exposed to moderate tidal
currents
10 | Marshes Comprised primarly of
Spartina grasses on an organic
rich mud base. Very sheltered
from wave and tidal activity.
Commonly found as small
marshes found along river
deltas or at the head of major
embayment
3.2 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES: - There are numerous
animal species and plants that are potentially at risk from oil
spills. In the ESI data basis, there are seven major biological
elements based on major taxonomic and functional grouping.
Following are the biological elements:
. Birds
° Fish
. Habitat (plants, sub aqueous habitats e.g., coral reefs,
wetlands etc.)
° Invertebrates
° Marine mammals
. Reptiles
. Terrestrial mammals
3.3 HUMAN RESOURCES: - Human-used resources can be
divided into four major components
° High use recreational use and shore line access areas
. Management areas
. Resource extraction
. Archaeological, Historical and other cultural resources
3.4 LAND USE/LAND COVER ANALYSIS
Delta of Godavari River has traditionally been the areas
dominant with agricultural land utilization because of their
highly favorable geomorphic terrain, productive soil cover and
abundant water supply. These deltas with rich alluvial soil,
which gets enriched annually, and irrigation network of canals
and tube wells support multiple cropping pattern providing
relatively high crop yields. The rich agricultural economy not
only sustains higher population (rural more than 700 persons/sq
km) and settlement (more than 6 villages/10sq km) densities,
but is also supporting industry based on agriculture leading to
development including well-connected transport network.
Although, over the years, the land use and cropping pattern has
remained unchanged in the deltas, yet, a gradual trend of change
in land use pattern is being noticeable in river delta and the
reasons could be due to climatic vagaries and changing farming
techniques and advances in biotechnology. Climatically deltas
along the east coast of India experience monsoon rainfall of
more than 1000 mm per annum with temperatures ranging
between 20 to 30 C (Subramaniam and Venkata Rao, 1981).
The deltas constitute a part of irrigated agricultural with
predominately food-crops like paddy, sugarcane, pulses and
horticultural like, banana and coconut.
| ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING FOR ECOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY
The area under various land use / land cover classes for the 2
km corridor area is tabulated and is presented in Table 3. It
may be observed that the Agricultural land (with or without
crop together with plantation) occupies area of 216.90 sq. km.,
which is 14.84 96 of the total corridor area, wasteland (land
with/without scrub) 7.14 sq. km (0.4996), Built upland of 51.46
sq. km (3.52%), water bodies of 81 1.61sq. km (55.55%) of the
corridor, wet lands 245.42 s km (17.30%)include (Mangrove,
Saltpan/Salt flat, Mud flat/Tidal Flat and Fishing Pond), Sandy
coastal/Riverine 115.88 sq. km (7.93%). The area estimates for
RSI and ESI of various classes/ is tabulated separately. (Table-
3).
TABLE - 3
LAND USE LAND COVER AREA STATISTICS
Sl. No. | Category Area % to
(in sq. | total
km.)
l Built Up Land 51.46 3.52
2 Vacant Land 12.62 0.86
3 Crop Land 38.13 2.61
4 Fallow Land 32.64 2.23
5 Low Lying Cropland 139.26 9.53
6 Coastal Plantation 6.87 0.47
7 Mangrove 95.68 6.55
8 Land with/without Scrub 7.14 0.49
9 Salt Pan/Salt Flats 27.55 1.89
10 Mud Flat/ Tidal Flats 107.91 7.39
B Sandy (Coastal/Riverine) 115.88 7.93
12 Fishing Pond 14.28 0.98
13 River/Water Body 811.61 55:35
TOTAL 1461.03 | 100
3.5 WETLANDS
1179