Environmental impact assessment for the proposed upgrade and redevelopment in Olhahali, North Malé Atoll, Maldives

Abstract

This document reports on the findings of the environmental impact study undertaken by Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd. For undertaking the proposed upgrade and redevelopment project in the picnic island of Olhahali. This project is proposed by Olhahali Investments Pvt. Ltd. to develop 8 deluxe overwater anchorage pavilions, 6 Family Spa Land Pavilions, One Royal Overwater Anchorage Pavilion, main restaurant, Spa Complex, Dive Centre, Arrival Pavilion, Arrival Hut, Main Jetty, Service Jetty, Executive Accommodation, Manger’s Accommodation, Back of House and coastal protection through construction of submerged breakwaters using reef balls. The redevelopment will mainly consider the improvement of the environmental infrastructure of the island by addressing the beach erosion and accessibility issue of the island. This includes the creation of a new reef entrance channel as to allow safer and easy access to boats in all weathers, building of breakwaters to provide calmer mooring conditions for the boats, building near shore breakwaters to provide protection to the existing structures, and nourishing the beach with sand that would be excavated from the reef entrance channel dredging work to create a buffer beach that would provide adequate protection and increasing the vegetation cover of the island. This report has identified that the major impacts of the project will be felt on the coastal and marine environment as almost all the new structures proposed will be constructed over water and the majority of the remaining impacts will be on the coastal environment. Impacts on the marine environment will be felt through direct impact on corals and sedimentation and siltation caused by the construction activities to the lagoon and channel dredging activity on the coral reef, during the construction period. Baseline data has, therefore, been collected in order to monitor the changes to the marine environment which will be identified in periodic monitoring reports. The most significant impact will be felt on the reef flat and lagoon bottom. Alternatives to the project have also been considered in detail and several alternatives to the proposed project were considered, including alternative methods of spa pavilion construction and alternative locations for the over water structures and breakwaters. Due to various reasons, these alternatives have not been considered. The advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives have been discussed. Eventually, a monitoring programme has been suggested which mainly covers the coastal and marine environment. These include coral cover and marine water quality among many other parameters. As most of the impacts are felt on the coastal and marine environment, it is important to undertake this monitoring.