Environment - ތިމާވެށި
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Item Environmental assessment on proposed beach nourishment and environmental audit on desalination and power generation activities, Vakarufalhi Island Resort, South Ari Atoll, Maldives(2011-07) SandcaysThis report is on two components including an environmental audit on existing desalination and power generation facilities and environmental impact assessment of proposed beach nourishment in Vakarufalhi Island Resort. The audit addresses the environmental concerns of the existing desalination plant and power generation facilities in Vakarufalhi Island resort. The primary objective of the audit exercise is to renew desalination plant registration. Having an environmental clearance statement is a requirement the registration of desalination plants. There is one seawater desalination plant with daily production capacity 300m3 in which feed water intake and brine concentrate discharge is on the eastern side of the island. The overall performance of the desalination plant in Vakarufalhi Island Resort is adequate and acceptable. The electrical conductivity of product water was found at 50μS/cm and no coliforms were detected from product water. The groundwater quality in terms of salinity was found at 1,700μS/cm (considered as measure of salinity); this shows the aquifer is normal. Total estimated area of proposed beach filling is at 3,140m2 with an estimated volume of sand to be filled at 4,710m3. This estimation is based on the existing beach condition at the time this survey was undertaken. A monitoring program has been outlined at the end of the report which can be implemented for environmental quality improvement and informed decision making. In particular of water quality monitoring and daily log maintenance at plant site. The overall performance of the seawater desalination facility and powerhouse in Vakarufalhi Island Resort is at adequate and acceptable condition. Key aspects of the operations are in compliance to desalination plant registration regulations in Maldives. Noise emissions meet the requirements of Maldives Energy Authority and acceptable standards. The overall environmental impacts of the proposed beach nourishment indicated that there continuous beach nourishment at Vakarufalhi does not have major adverse impacts on the environment as far as current knowledge is concerned. Given that the project has major socio-economic benefits and some environmental benefits, it is advisable to allow the project to proceed as proposed. It is also recommended to continue to monitor the impacts of the proposed project by regular monitoring of shorelines, beach profiles and nearshore currents for at least two years and communicate and feed the data into the EIA system in the country.Item Environmental impact assessment for coastal protection and erosion control on west of runway 18, Malé International Airport, Hulhulé, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives(2010-04-05) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed quaywall strengthening and erosion control of western coast of Runway 18, Malé International Airport, Hulhulé, Kaafu Atoll. The primary objective of the project is to enhance the safety of the airstrip at the turning pad area, which is prone to flooding during rough weather due to wave overtopping from existing sheetpile structure. As a result there is scour behind the sheetpile wall increasing the threat of subsidence or structural weakening of the western edge of the turning pad area. Therefore, there is an immediate need to protect this area by strengthening existing sheetpile quaywall with additional protection measures. Hence, different options for the coastal protection have been evaluated and the most practicable options not entailing excessive costs have been recommended. Since this is an immediate and temporary measure, minimal protection has been proposed, which is the protection of the immediate area behind the turning pad where sheetpile structure has been placed. The length of protection is about 100m. The other areas with concrete gravity seawalls have not been considered for protection as these areas are not severely affected and the entire area, including the 100m coastline which is proposed for immediate protection, would be reclaimed in the near future, as per the Airport Master Plan. The different options for the protection of the proposed 100m coastline immediately behind the turning pad area include revetments along the coastline or offshore breakwaters covering a length of about 250m on the dead reef flat at about 100m from the sheetpile coastline. Two types of materials have been considered for the revetments: single layer Core-Loc armour units and 2.5m3 geotextile containers filled with sand. The Core-Loc units have very high permeability (50-60% voids) to absorb wave energy while the geotextile containers have no voids when placed together. Therefore, the design using geotextile containers have been revised to incorporate about 15% voids, thereby improving the wave energy absorption capacity. Based on the costs and wave energy absorption potential of each type of material, it is recommended to use the Core-Loc units. However, these units are not readily available in the Maldives, therefore, geotextile containers have been recommended due to the urgency of the project. In both cases, the revetments have been designed to provide adequate wave runup to minimize the force of the wave. Additional protection would not be required. For the breakwater also, the above two types of materials have been considered and submerged breakwaters as well as emerged breakwaters have been considered. The breakwater option is expensive given the length of the breakwater. Also, the distance between the potential breakwater location and the shore area to be protected is about 100m, which makes it less effective as wind-generated waves will reoccur inside the lee of the breakwater. Other options such as groynes have not been considered because the lagoon on this side has been dredged. Imported rock boulders could also be used for both the revetment option and the breakwater option. However, the cost of boulders and the time to deliver to site makes it impracticable and has not been considered. Moreover, a structure with rock boulders would be less permeable (about 30-40%) than the proposed Core-Loc armour units. Hence, cost was the deciding factor in choosing the Core-Loc units and geotextile containers over rock boulders. The reef flat at the area in which the proposed offshore breakwater would be constructed is almost entirely dead with high levels of sediment resuspended in the water column. This is due to the increased sediment level from dredging that had taken place in the area. There is also the cumulative effect of sediment resuspension resulting from the Hulhumalé reclamation, but this is expected to be small. The reef slope and edge in this area would not be severely affected as no machinery would be used in or closer to these areas during the implementation of the proposed project activities. All machinery would be used on the shallow reef flat area, which consists of bedrock and a few dead coral porites. Given the level of dredging, reclamation and coastal protection works that have been carried out in the area, the cumulative impacts of the proposed project would be negligible. Therefore, this project is not considered to have adverse environmental or social impacts but there would be economic impacts that would be positive in that the dangers of potential subsidence of the airstrip turning pad is minimized with greater flood control and protection afforded by the proposed temporary coastal protection structures. However, mitigation measures to minimize any damage to reef will be in place and the project components will be well planned considering minimal aesthetic impact although this area is not aesthetically sensitive. Environmental monitoring is not recommended for the project under consideration except monitoring of the effectiveness of the structures for at least one year after construction. However, it is recommended that the Maldives Airports Company in association with other operators in Hulhulé initiate and conduct an island-wide environmental monitoring programme which would cover the environmental monitoring needs of all projects undertaken on the island.Item Environmental impact assessment : coastal protection at Paradise Island Resort, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives(2010-08-01) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed coastal protection at Paradise Island Resort located on Lankanfinolhu in North Malé Atoll. The primary objective of the project is to protect the coastal infrastructure of Paradise Island Resort and also enhance the natural environmental of Paradise and to improve the services offered to guests thereby minimizing operational and environmental costs. As such the project encompasses the replenishment of approximately 200m of beach at the arrival jetty and swimming pool area on the western side and about 300m of shoreline on the eastern side at the base of the water villas jetty. Paradise Island is surrounded by a large expanse of lagoon or reef flat on the eastern side and similar but not so great expanse of reef flat and lagoon on the western side. The western side beach is, therefore, much more prone to wave attack than the eastern side. The western side is exposed to wind generated waves during the southwest monsoon while the eastern side is exposed to wind generated waves during the northeast monsoon as well as swells during both monsoons. The eastern side reef flat has recently been subjected to anthropogenic changes during the construction of water villas which were destroyed by the tsunami of 2004 as a result of which the erosion of the eastern beaches at the foot of the water villa jetty has been severed. However, the western side beaches have been a victim of wave-induced erosion during the southwest monsoon for as long as the island existed. Therefore, regular beach nourishment by pumping sand from nearshore areas has helped to keep the beaches intact to some extent. Such frequent beach nourishment creates more sediment suspension and resuspension in the water column causing deterioration of the quality of the main product, which is the natural environment. Continuous beach nourishment would also provide little protection to these eroding areas without structural protection. Shore protection measures have, therefore, been evaluated and most practicable option(s) chosen to protect the eroding areas and minimize the frequency of beach nourishment. The proposed coastal protection structure is a breakwater that would be submerged at high tide. Such a breakwater is expected to provide adequate protection from wave induced erosion on both sides, which is the cause for concern at present. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate matrices and the results indicated that the proposed project has a net positive impact. That is, the project has no major adverse impacts on the environment as far as current knowledge is concerned. Given that the project has major socio-economic benefits and some environmental benefits, it is advisable to allow the project to proceed as proposed. It is also recommended to continue to monitor the impacts of the proposed project by regular monitoring of shorelines and nearshore currents for at least two years and communicate and feed the data into the EIA system in the country.Item Environmental impact assessment: coastal components of proposed refurbishment Chaaya Lagoon Hakuraa Huraa, Meemu Atoll, Maldives(2010-06-01) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed coastal components of the refurbishment planned for 2010 for Chaaya Lagoon Hakuraa Huraa, Meemu Atoll. The primary objective of the project is to enhance the natural environmental of Hakuraa and to improve the services offered to guests thereby minimizing operational and environmental costs. As such the project encompasses modifications to the existing jetty head to incorporate a fixed seaplane platform that would bring an end to dhoni transfers from existing floating platform, deepening of the existing reef entrance channel so that it can be used by supply and other dhonis saving time and fuel and providing beach on the southside shoreline where there is no beach. Hence, different options for the proposed project, especially the beach enhancement component have been evaluated and the most practicable options not entailing excessive costs have been recommended. Since the resort is already closed for renovation, it may not be possible to get all the proposed activities done in time for reopening. Therefore, the beach enhancement and entrance channel deepening may have to be put off. Hakuraa is surrounded by a large expanse of lagoon. Therefore, only the proposed channel deepening activity is expected to impact the coral reef. The impact on the reef is not considerably large as the reef flat in the area has very low cover of live corals and the live corals on the reef slope is expected to be cleared of sediment within a short period by the current in the area. However, it would be useful to monitor such changes. It has also been recommended to transplant any coral that may be directly impacted and may not recover from the effects of sedimentation. In fact, all proposed activities would have short term sedimentation impacts, with the water quality returning to normal within weeks. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate matrices and the results indicated that the proposed project had net positive impact. That is, the project has no major adverse impacts on the environment as far as current knowledge is concerned. Given that the project has major socio-economic benefits and some environmental benefits, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed. However, alternative analysis for the coastal protection or beach enhancement component indicates that there is a strong argument for added coastal protection. It has, therefore, been recommended to consider headland revetments using geotextile containers in order to retain the sand that has been planned to be added to the southside shore. Other feasible alternatives also have been considered. Environmental monitoring recommended for the project includes the monitoring of the shorelines of Hakuraa and neighbouring island and water quality and drogue studies of the coastal area for three years from the onset of the proposed project implementation. Annual monitoring reports have to be submitted over the monitoring period.Item Environmental impact assessment for the dredging of a seaplane strip at Dh. Kudahuvadhoo airport(Dhaalu Airport Holdings, 2018-12) SandcaysDhaalu Airport Holdings Pvt. Ltd. proposes to develop its seaplane operations as part of the Domestic Airport which has been recently opened after reclaiming 62.81hectares of land from the southern lagoon of Kudahuvadhoo, Dhaalu Atoll. The seaplane runway is a 60m x1000m and the taxiway is 30mx450m rectangular strips of lagoon dredged in the shallow area between Kudahuvadhoo and recently reclaimed airstrip. A seaplane terminal is also proposed to be developed. Kudahuvadhoo Island is located on the southern side of Dh. Atoll on geographic coordinates of 72.893716 longitude and 2.671707 latitudes having a land area of 71.2Hectares. The proposed seaplane facility at Dhaalu Airport will be subject to the key legal instruments including Environmental Protection and Preservation Act (No. 4/93), Civil Aviation Act (No. 2/2001) of Maldives. Thus, it must satisfy the EIA process according to the EIA Regulations and get approval as well as conform to the Dredging and Reclamation Regulation as well as civil aviation standards and safety measures. The construction work involves the main activities to be carried out including dredging and reclamation, shore protection measures, levelling of the land, development of paved roads, terminal building, pontoon jetties and other related infrastructure. All utilities including water, sewerage, waste management, fuel services and electricity are currently in place and additional facilities would not be required. The main activity that will be involved with the development of this project in the marine environment is dredging of the shallow lagoon and disposal of dredge material at the project site. The proposed dredging takes place between already reclaimed areas devoid of any coral. Therefore, there would be negligible or few minor negative impacts on the reef areas of Kudahuvadhoo. However, there would be possible shoaling of dredged areas and water quality deterioration in the proposed seaplane taxiway and part of the seaplane runway due to stagnation. Aircraft operation will cause noise pollution due to aircraft or its components, during various phases of a flight: on the ground while parked such as auxiliary power units; while taxiing; on run-up from propeller and jet exhaust during take-off; underneath and lateral to departure and arrival paths; over-flying while en-route or during landing time. However, as discussed in the airport EIA, noise sensitive places such as schools and hospitals are already at considerable distance and future developments would also take this into consideration. Owing to the intermittent nature of aircraft noise due to low traffic, it is not considered to be of significance even with the addition of the seaplane operations.A detailed environmental monitoring programme has been included in the EIA for Airport development, which is sufficient to cover the proposed operations. Therefore, the programme has been revised and included in this EIA. The overall environmental impacts of the project assessed using appropriate matrices, professional experience/judgement and the results obtained on existing situation of Kudahuvadhoo indicated that the proposed project has net positive impact compared to a few (mostly cumulative) negative environmental impacts. Given that the project has major socio-economic benefits although there would be some negative environmental impacts, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed.