Confluence Dynamics and Their Effect at the Downstream Reach: Padma-Upper Meghna
摘要
Rivers of Bangladesh are interconnected and morphologically dynamic. The situation becomes more complex downstream of a confluence of major rivers. In this study, an attempt has been made to assess the dynamics of the confluence of the Padma and Upper Meghna Rivers and their impact on the downstream river, the Lower Meghna. The study was conducted using time series satellite images from 1984 to 2025. Results show that the location of the confluence of the Padma and Upper Meghna has changed significantly over the last four decades, resulting in a shift in the bifurcation location of the Lower Meghna River downstream. This also triggered the lateral shifting of the Lower Meghna by 5.3 km, as it eroded its banks. Finally, this study aimed to outline a potential future corridor for the Great Rivers under study in the vicinity of the confluence, with the goal of constraining confluence movement. This, in turn, will help facilitate the comprehensive sustainable management of the rivers, thereby reducing the loss caused by river dynamics.