Possible impacts of sea-level rise on the Diep river/Rietvlei system, Cape-Town

Abstract

Many of the Cape Province's estuaries and tidal inlets have sandy connections to the sea and are often intensively developed for industrial or residential purposes. The possible impacts of sea-level rise are of considerable interest to these developments. One such setting is the Diep River/Rietvlei system at Milnerton, north-east of Cape Town. This paper presents the likely geomorphological changes to accompany a 1-m rise in sea level. It demonstrates the vulnerability of an inlet's channel banks and mouth area to sea-level rise and shows how the internal tidal range may be affected by increased coastal erosion. In essence, it highlights the complexity of the impacts of sea-level rise in these environments and the need for effective management strategies.