Coastal reservoir - Important aspects to be considered from coastal engineering point of view

A coastal reservoir is a fresh water reservoir in the seawater near a river mouth to capture the sustain able river flow. It provides water by storing it from the river discharge and runoff which otherwise will flow in the sea. The water in the coastal reservoir can be used for drinking, irrigation or industrial purposes. Such coastal reservoirs have been constructed in countries such as Netherlands, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, United Kingdom, etc. According to the data collected from research papers and technical knowledge of coastal engineering, there are some important aspects, which need to be taken care while planning for the coastal reservoir. This research paper highlights few points that need to be considered for the proposed dam from coastal hydrodynamics point of view: Height of the coastal reservoir dam should be such so that the sweet water does not mix with salt water in extreme environmental situations, therefore, the dam should be built somewhat away from the sea. The coastal reservoir can be used to raise ground water levels in coastal areas and increase the availability of water. Site should be chosen in such a way so that the amount of sediment is small or when it is reduced, water should be collected at that time. There should be less industrialization in the surrounding areas, which collects clean water and that river is not used for transportation. Keeping all these things in mind, an effort is needed in this direction so that the scarcity of potable water in the coastal areas can be reduced.