Half century of meander evolution from the Mun River, Surin Province, northeastern Thailand
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Abstract
The Mun River, a major tributary of the Mekong River, exhibits a dynamic meandering pattern within its catchment basin. This study reveals a half century of geomorphological changes of the Mun River in Surin province based on geomorphological parameters. Satellite images from 1973 to 2023 were analyzed together with subsurface surveys. The identified landforms alongside the floodplain of the Mun River include paleo-channels, oxbow lakes, and meander scars. To quantify geomorphological changes, four geomorphic metrics were employed: channel width (W), channel length (L), sinuosity index (SI), and radius of curvature (RC). Significant variations in channel width were observed, primarily due to bank erosion and long-term sedimentation in the river. The channel length and sinuosity index have shown a decreasing trend, indicating frequent cut-off process. Erosion rates were found to be higher in the lower reaches, where the river is actively migrating and bending. The upper and middle reaches have experienced past cut-offs and channel patterns were likely stabilized. RC began to decrease after 1990 possibly by increasing river bank protection and settlement expansion.
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Copyright © 2008 Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University. Parts of an article can be photocopied or reproduced without prior written permission from the author(s), but due acknowledgments should be stated or cited accordingly.
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