Bangladesh coasts face increased salinity

Dhaka, Dec 3 (bdprem.com)—The Khulna power plant is water-cooled, requiring thousands of gallons of fresh water daily to keep operative. To make this happen boatloads of river water must be hauled from upstream. Your Ad Here This process has turned into an odyssey, as freshwater becomes a rare commodity with tidal waters intruding further north everyday. The flow of freshwater from the Ganges River has been stemmed, especially during the lean months, since the Farakka Barrage was built in the state of West Bengal just 10km from the Bangladesh-India border. As a result, tidal waters are spreading inland turning the coastal environment more saline. The estuarine brackish waters—where sweet and salt-water meet—which at one time nurtured numerous unique fish species are also turning more saline, gradually killing this once distinctive aquatic ecosystem. A recent SRDI (Soil Resource Development Institute) study established that the rate of salinity intrusion in the coastal areas surged during the period 1970-2000. In the 30-year span, the soils suffering the highest degree of salinity (S-4) in some cases more than doubled, according to the findings. While salinity in Jessore and Noakhali soils increased by 11.5 percent and 7 percent respectively, in coastal areas such as Barisal and Barguna salinity increased 100 percent and 124.33 percent respectively. Dr Imamul Huq, chairman of Dhaka University's soil science, water and environment department, told bdnews24.com that damming of water in upriver regions is a major cause of increasing salinity and tidal water intrusion. Reduction in rainfall is another phenomenon that has aggravated the salinity levels of water and soils in certain areas, Dr Huq said, adding that less rainfall also causes nations upriver to withdraw more water to meet their needs for irrigation and other purposes. The highly saline soils do not allow crops to grow and raising salt beds are the only option in utilising such lands. Findings of the Bangladesh Coast Guard show that rising sea-levels are compounding these detrimental effects on the environment. If the sea level rises by one metre in the Bay of Bengal, it is likely to cut Bangladesh's GDP by about 28 to 57 percent, the study said. Food insecurity will be aggravated as agricultural land in inundated, coastal regions will experience acute scarcity of potable water and many native species found in fresh and brackish waters will be lost. The off-shore islands of Bhola, Sandwip, Hatia and Kutubdia are facing greater erosion with each passing season, with consequent displacement of the islands' inhabitants. Kutubdia has lost 65 percent of its landmass to erosion in the past century. In 2006 alone Bhola lost a surface area of about a thousand square kilometres. Dr Ainun Nishat, Bangladesh country representative of The World Conservation Union (IUCN), too painted a very bleak picture while talking to bdprem. As the sea level rises and low-lying coastal areas are submerged, the onslaught of salinity will make drinking water scarce and food shortages will be a recurrent event. According to a Water Development Board report, the sea level has already risen significantly along the coasts. Due to reduced downriver flow and rising sea-levels, tidal waters are set to inundate more and more of Bangladesh's low-lying coastal lands.