RISK MAPS AND COASTAL DEFENSE CRITERIA IN TAIWAN

Abstract

To promote sustainable development, the Coastal Zone Management Act prescribes that coastal areas should be divided into two levels of protection zones. However, the complexity and variety of coastal defenses and land use cannot be described completely by using these two levels alone. Coastal risk maps, based on natural and manmade characters of a region, showing different degrees of vulnerability and hazard potentials, can aid in making decisions. In this study, the criteria for coastal protection and land use in terms of risk maps were adopted. A tentative risk map was presented for the northern Kaohsiung City coastal area, Southwest Taiwan-a first-level protection area, strongly requiring a long-term protection strategy. The safety of coastal defenses and land use at their present state were assessed for proposing the coastal protection measures for hazard prevention. The current results can be used for future coastal management.