EXPERIMENTS ON HYDRODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS

Mangroves are a unique form of vegetation that exist at the boundary of two distinct environments. Mangrove forest plays a special role in supporting fisheries, in stabilizing tropical coastal zones, also in trapping sediment. This study outlines field experiments on some hydrodynamic characteristics at Dong Tranh estuary, Can Gio mangrove forest, adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City, Southern Vietnam. From the measurements carried out in three years (2003-2005), some initial experimental results indicate that sedimentation in this area is controlled by tide. The effects of waves and currents are not clear. It should provide more experiments on waves and currents in order to evaluate these effects