First addendum to the EIA report for the proposed development of southwest harbour, Malé City, Maldives : part 1 : additional reclamation & shore protection

Abstract

This report is the First Addendum to the EIA report prepared for the development of the Southwest Harbour in Malé to address the environmental concerns regarding the proposed additional reclamation and modifications to the method of borrowing additional sand and location of the channel. The project is proposed by Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure. The environmental impacts of the harbour dredging and reclamation components have already been covered in the EIA and this Addendum will cover the additional reclamation of 3.2 hectares and some of the changes to the borrow area and methodology as well as changes to the location of the channel. The additional material to be taken from Gulhee Falhu is now proposed to be taken from atoll lagoon area identified near Uthuru Thilafalhu and to be borrowed using hopper dredger. There are no issues related to dredging from these locations, as it had become the norm and material has been taken from several surveyed locations in Malé Atoll for reclamation purposes including Hulhumalé Phase 2, Thulusdhoo, Himmafushi and Gulhee Falhu reclamation. The channel has been shifted eastwards based on the recommendations of the design consultants from Japan. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. There are no changes to the environmental impacts assessed previously. The area of sedimentation slightly changes due to the change of channel location slightly eastwards, however, this change has similar degree of sedimentation and the negative impacts on the reef. The revised location has lesser wave impact and, therefore, provides safer entry. The impacts of the reclamation remain similar although the magnitude of the impacts would be slightly higher due to the increase in area and therefore volume of fill. The negative impacts of the reclamation by bringing sand from the proposed borrow area near Uthuru Thilafalhu would be some degree of sedimentation during pumping the material into the hopper and while “rainbowing” the material to site. It is believed that based on past experience in some of the projects, the hopper dredger operator will take care in pumping the material to the proposed fill area. The degree of sedimentation will be higher but short-lived compared to the rest of the dredging and shifting of shore protection structures. The area to be filled with will be confined with a sand bund with the existing tetrapods placed on the periphery as protection structures. Therefore, sedimentation on the reef from the filling using hopper material would be low. The proposed design encloses the southwest harbour at the T-jetty area, affecting circulation. Even during the construction phase, it is observed that sediment settles in the harbour basin even with the presence of good flow between both sides. Once the area is closed-off the basin will be stagnant. Therefore, as mitigation measure, two culverts of 4m diameter each and made of concrete or HDPE have been proposed to allow flushing of the harbour basin during both monsoons. The alternatives to the dredging and reclamation have been considered in the EIA report. The project benefits in improving living environment of residential areas, however, the extent of the benefit is not very clear at this stage. The no project option may be considered valid due to the huge cost of the project compared to the benefits. However, the project helps in improving the waste management operation in Malé as well as to create better living spaces. The alternative would be to minimize the scope of the project, especially to retain a large part or whole of the existing breakwater and reclaim inside the structure so as to reduce the cost of the project greatly while helping to achieve the objectives for pollution free living. However, since the project has been planned and partly executed, the scope could not be reduced or damages to breakwater structure could not be completely undone. Yet, a cost-effective redesign can still be considered. Some of the mitigation measures for the impacts that have been considered above had already been incorporated into the design and the project scope. This includes the provision of culverts for improved flushing of the harbour basin. It is recommended not to fill and close the flow in the harbour until the proposed culverts have been constructed. Regular environmental monitoring and reporting is an essential element of the EIA process. The EIA report for the South West Harbour has considered in-situ monitoring of total suspended solids and turbidity to be undertaken during the dredging process. However, regular monitoring data is not available for the ongoing dredging and reclamation works. Therefore, it is reiterated that regular monitoring of in-situ turbidity is undertaken in the area. The project appears justified socially as well as technically with low environmental impact given the current use and damage to the marine environment of the area. However, the economic costs of the project may outweigh the benefits. Hence, effective project implementation shall be in place to ensure the objectives are achieved to the maximum.