Impact of coastal engineering constructions on the topographic and morphological evolution of Quanzhou Bay, Fujian, China

A series of port constructions and large-scale reclamation projects have been extensively carried out in Quanzhou Bay to pursue social and economic benefits. These projects have changed the natural topographical and morphological evolution since 1970. In this research, from comparison of topographical and morphological characteristics of the study area in 2008, 1972 and 1934, the obvious differences between two evolution stages (1934-1972 and 1972-2008) were analyzed, and the impact of coastal engineering constructions on the evolution of topography and morphology was evaluated quantitatively. The results show that evolution before the 1970s was characterized as a stable whole with local erosion in the channel and slow aggradation of the shoal and that the morphology was dominated by natural processes, as there was little coastal engineering construction before 1970. Since the 1970s, because of a series of engineering projects such as those reclaiming land and constructing ports, the bay has been in a stage of continuous silting, characterized by the channel narrowing and shrinking and shoal silting and expanding, which may result in the abandonment of ports around the bay and endanger the salt field, aquaculture and other agriculture. Potential solutions for the management of the coastal zone of Quanzhou Bay and other similar bays by state and local agencies are suggested, such as calling for the attention of the state and local government, strengthening coastal zone management, scientific planning and reasonable exploitation, and in particular, changing the utilization of the sea area.