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Fed by human-caused erosion, many river deltas are growing

Deforestation and river damming are changing the shape of these landforms around the globe

Ganges River delta

Deltas along the Ganges River in India (shown) grew by about 4.9 square kilometers per year from 1985 to 2015. Soil erosion due to deforestation helped increase the amount of sediment carried downstream by the river.

 

USGS EROS Data Center Satellite Systems Branch

By Carolyn Gramling

- More than 2 years ago

River deltas, the fans of sediment sweeping out from the mouths of rivers, are gaining ground.