The Indian River Delta under the Interweaving of Climate Change and Human Activities: Multidimensional Impacts from Waterlogging to Salinization

As an important estuarine wetland in South Asia, the Indus Delta is facing the dual challenges of climate change and human activities. This study focuses on the multidimensional impacts of extreme precipitation, increased droughts due to climate change, and human activities (e.g., irrigated agriculture, urban sprawl, and dam construction) on regional water resources and ecosystems. This paper discusses the causes of frequent flooding, increased soil salinization and coastal erosion in the delta region and related management strategy recommendations through literature analysis, case studies and geographic information technology. It is found that monsoon precipitation imbalance and poor irrigation management lead to an abnormal rise in the water table, which exacerbates salinization; urbanization expands impervious area, which weakens the natural drainage capacity and induces waterlogging; and the construction of upstream dams accelerates coastal degradation by altering the water-sand balance. The conclusions of the study emphasize the need for synergistic management through engineering measures, policy optimization and ecological restoration to address the sustainable development challenges of the delta.