Beach Morphology and Coastal Protection along Ennore Coast in the North of Chennai City, Southeast India

Baseline information on the beach morphology along the Ennore coast, an industrial hotspot region in the East coast of Bay of Bengal, is presented. In order to assess the effect of human interference on the coastal zone, a baseline survey of the coastline is considered important. Such information enables to predict the future coastal morphology and settings. Based on the baseline data created, this study predicts that the accretion noticed in the southern side of the Ennore port will affect the port entrance channel in the future course. Therefore it warrants for immediate mitigation measures to curtail such accretion and also recommends for keeping the Ennore creek mouth open permanently. Ennore creek also serves as the coolant source for the two thermal power plant units. The study also put forward certain other mitigation measures which are relevant in the present event of developments. Adjacent to Pulicat Lake, the erosion is continuously taking place at an alarming rate making vulnerable for a striking storm to wash away the villages under the sea. It may also lead to the merger of the Pulicat Lake into the Bay of Bengal, thereby the brackish water ecosystem of the lake may altogether disappear causing several ecological and social problems. The study concludes that a long-term integrated coastal monitoring is the need of the hour.