Environmental impact assessment report : harbor development project Kinbidhoo, Thaa Atoll

Abstract

1. This Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report is to fulfill the regulatory requirements under the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of Maldives prior to the proposed harbor development at Kinbidhoo in Thaa Atoll. 2. Project proponent of the proposed harbor development project is Ministry of Housing and Environment. The contractor for the project is Amin Construction Pvt Ltd. 3. Kinbidhoo is located in Thaa atoll, approximately 228km from Male’. It is one of the 13 inhabitant islands in the atoll. Nearest inhabited island is Th. Veymandoo which is located 3.89km north east of Kinbidhoo. In terms of geographic coordinates, it is located at 2° 10' N and 73° 3' E. Nearest island is Kudakinbidhoo, approximately 0.54km south west of Kinbidhoo. 4. The proposed development project involves construction of a harbor facility at Th. Kinbidhoo. This project is being undertaken as part of the National Harbor Construction Project conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Environment. The harbor facility will be located at the north western side of the island approximately 10m off the shoreline at north eastern side and 50m off shore line at the south western side starting from existing “T” jetty. The entrance to the harbour will be located at the northern side. The quay wall will be constructed with “L” section concrete sheet pile, while breakwaters will be rock boulders. The harbor basin will be deepened to -3MSL. 5. Part of the existing T jetty will be demolished using excavators. The demolished material will be used for back filling of harbor side quay area. The demolition works will be done prior to excavation of the proposed basin. 6. The proposed harbor is 152.5m long and 76.2m wide. Breakwater segment will be constructed at the northern side of the harbor with a total length of 185m, while the exposed side of existing T jetty (excluding the part cut to make way for entrance to deep lagoon) will have a revetment structure. The side quay walls will have a length of 61m. The total quay wall length of the harbor is 274.5m. 7. An entrance will be cut to deep lagoon from the northern side of the harbor with length 140 and width 24m. The design depth of entrance and harbor basin is -3MSL. 8. Dredge material removed from the harbor basin and entrance (entrance to deep lagoon) will be disposed at either side of the harbor (eastern and western side) and harbor front area. Approximately 33,000m3 of dredge material will be removed during the maintenance and harbor dredging works. All dredged material generated will be used to reclaim land at the harbor front and side quay areas. 9. Major outcome of the consultation meetings is issue of opening at the western side and maintenance dredging at the existing entrance to deep lagoon. - CID requested for EIA consultant to propose mitigation for the issue ` 2 - Maintenance dredging at existing entrance is not included in the EIA or project scope. Although this maybe the case environmental impact due to maintenance dredging to be included in the report 10. Existing environment was examined to identify significant environmental components that would be affected and to establish a baseline condition of the site. Available and relevant literature on environmental impacts associated with similar projects was evaluated to identify possible impacts. Oceanographic data and information on local hydrodynamics were qualitatively assessed to determine the current pattern around the island which was based on monsoonal wind patterns, wind generated waves, tidal flushing, geographic setting, the topography of the lagoon and shape of the shoreline. 11. Mitigation measures have been provided for impacts associated with the project related works that have been categorized as minor to moderate. Impact mitigation measures and monitoring is carried out to compare predicted and actual impacts occurring from project activities to determine the efficiency of the mitigation measures. 12. With due consideration to main environmental components identified and the magnitude of impacts on these components from the proposed developments, the consultant concludes that the project components and designs are feasible and appropriate mitigation measures are given to correct and minimize unfavorable environmental consequences. Furthermore, the public and community consultation responses were in favor of the project due to the socio-economic benefits foreseen to the community from a functional harbor.