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Title: | Environmental impact assessment for proposed access channel and boat mooring area deepening in Fehendhoo Island, Baa Atoll |
Authors: | Zuhair, Mohamed |
Keywords: | Access channels Boat mooring Legislative and regulatory considerations Existing geophysical environment Existing climatic environment Existing coastal environment Existing marine environment Existing socio-economic environment Constructional impacts Operational impacts Socio-economic impacts Mitigation measures Environmental monitoring Environmental impact assessments |
Issue Date: | Mar-2016 |
Citation: | Zuhair, M. (2016). Environmental impact assessment for proposed access channel and boat mooring area deepening in Fehendhoo Island, Baa Atoll. Male': Maldives |
Abstract: | The Secretariat of the Fehendhoo Council (Fenhendhoo Island Council) proposes to develop
an access channel and a boat mooring area by deepening a 244m long, 10m wide access
channel and a 45.75m long and 30.50m wide boat mooring area on the northern side of
Fehendhoo Island. These areas will be excavated to a depth of 3m at low tide. Also, as part of
the proposed project, a retain wall by use of concrete blocks on the island-ward side of the
boat mooring area will be undertaken.
An area of 2,440sqm from the access channel and an area of 1,395sqm from the boat mooring
area require to be excavated as part of the proposed project. A total of 6,100cbm from the
access channel and 3,488cbm from the boat mooring area (total 9,588cbm) will be obtained
from these locations. Two areas have been identified for use of the excavated material from
the proposed project including use of material on the small islet by the existing partial access
channel on the northern side and on the NW shoreline of Fehendhoo where long-term beach
erosion has been identified.
Under the Maldives Environmental Protection and Preservation Act (Law No. 4/93) and EIA
Regulation 2012, the proposed deepening of access channel and boat mooring area project
requires an EIA to be carried out. The report presents major findings of the EIA report.
Baseline environmental condition of the proposed project site as well as socio-economic
environment was conducted for which the environmental impacts and mitigation measures as
well as project alternatives are presented. It was found that there is a great need for
developing an access channel and a boat mooring area on the island, which is recognized as
an important community need. The assessments carried out on the biophysical environment
indicate that the coral reefs within the project boundary had very little live coral cover and
limited reef fish abundance and diversity. The depth of the project area ranges from 2.7m on
the north to 0.4m on the south below MSL. The current flow was from north to south taking a
slightly westward direction and strong currents were identified on the outer reef area and
decreased currents were observed in the lagoon closer to the island. Most of the lagoon
environment was covered with seagrass in the nearshore and isolated corals, rubble and rock
in the middle lagoon areas.
As a result of the proposed project during construction phase, some environmental impacts
such as sedimentation, direct destruction of lagoon habitats, turbid marine water quality and
certain degree of impacts to corals and seagrasses have been identified. Most significant
impacts based on evaluation will be from excavation works where the impacts have been
identified to be moderately significant. With regards to mitigating most severe impacts, work
will be carried out during low and on calm days in order to reduce spread of sedimentation
related impacts.
Although there are some environmental impacts from the proposed project, most of these
impacts can be reduced and mitigated by use of appropriate methodology and timing. The
effectiveness of these methodologies can be documented by implementing a comprehensive
monitoring programme. Also, with positive socio-economic outlook of the project and the
community needs for the project, it is concluded that the project should go ahead as planned. |
URI: | http://saruna.mnu.edu.mv/jspui/handle/123456789/4502 |
Appears in Collections: | ތިމާވެށި Environment A
|
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