Academic Articles -- ޢިލްމީ ލިޔުންތަކުގެ ޖަމާ
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Item Initial environmental examination for a coral frame project(2010-07) Systems Engineering and Marine ConsultingThe potential environmental impacts of the development of a coral propagation project on the island of H.A. Manafaru are assessed. Manafaru is leased to Beach House Maldives and is operated by the Waldorf Astoria collection of the Hilton group. The assessment exposes the solutions and preferred alternatives as well as mitigation measures to minimize any negative impacts whilst trying to derive the maximum positive impacts from the project. Manafaru has very little coral cover after being degraded by the 1998 bleaching event. As it is important to be proactive in reef restoration, the resort management wishes to enhance the value of the island by propagating corals using the coral frame technique. The frames will be installed near the water villas and sparsely on the house reef. Coral fragments will be attached by a marine biologist and will develop into full colonies within a few years. Coral fragments from the house reef will provide a small number of fragments and will heal rapidly. Preference will be given to damaged colonies. 136 frames of 1m2 will be initially deployed, and after the first batch, the existing frames will provide fragments for transplantation. The project will start as soon as approval is granted, and as this is a long term project, it could span several years before completion. The island of Manafaru is located inside the northernmost atoll of the Maldives, and is subject to high winds and warming waters, which may be a cause of low coral survival. As the island is located in the middle of the atoll, the waves reaching its shores are diffraction of swells, and wind waves. As the energy encountered are of second magnitude, and the reef does not form a proper crest, the waves reach the island with less obstruction than most areas. Sand displacement depends on the predominant influence during different monsoons, forming a bulging beach rather than a sand tip.Item Environmental impact assessment for the partial renovation and upgrading works of Six Senses Laamu, L. Olhuveli(2014-05) Systems Engineering and Marine Consulting1. The present report is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regarding the partial renovation and upgrading works projected on Olhuveli Island in Laamu Atoll. The report has been developed in compliance with the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of Maldives (Law No. 4/93, article 5a) and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 requiring such an assessment study before implementation of any activity that may have a significant impact on the environment. The assessment exposes the solutions and preferred alternatives as well as mitigation measures to minimize any negative impacts whilst trying to derive the maximum positive impacts from the project. 2. Laamu Six Senses is looking to upgrade its facilities with some modifications over the current building scheme. Essentially the upgrade is required in order to diversify the current facilities looking forward to meet the existing tourist demand. 3. The present EIA is assessing the construction of improvements in several villas at the resort with the construction of swimming pools and minor modifications. 4. Olhuveli is located on the southern part of Laamu atoll. The fact of being placed in the southern rim of the atoll implies that the island is exposed to strong swell wave interaction all year around, whether it is NE or SW monsoon. 5. 6 photographic transects were used to assess the benthic cover of 6 sites. Each picture was analysed using 25 point grids to obtain quantitative substrate cover data of morphological characteristics of the reef community. The main substrate encountered on the hard substrate reef of L. Olhuveli was rock with 45.40±7.87%. On the northern side of the house reef live coral cover is slightly superior, varying between 30% and 50.4%. On the south side, live coral cover varies between 39.6% and 29.6%. 6. For the fish community survey, data was collected using the methodology outlined by FishWatch Maldives, where 3 x 15 minute fish counts were carried out at each site. Surveyed area is a band of 2.5m on either side of the recorder and 5m up the water column. Surveys were carried out at 3 different depths (5, 10 and 20 meters) on 2 different sites. 39 of the 76 FishWatch target species were recorded among 17 families. Surprisingly no large schools of fish were observed. At the family level, the Chaetodontidae were the most abundant (28.15%) followed by the Serranidae (26.29%). 11 out of the 16 species of Serranidae were represented in this survey, which would be considered as a diverse collection from this family. At the species level, species on the target list with the greatest density were Chaetodon auriga (11.88%) and Zanclus cornutus (10.63%). 7. The main potential environmental impacts identified associated with the new structures are construction impacts, in relation to the construction works themselves (loss of habitat, temporary rise in turbidity and modification or damages to the seabed through direct physical damage). 8. A monitoring plan has been proposed in order to assess the impact of the works over the years and long term changes to the environmental conditions. The plan will aid in implementing mitigation measures during construction and operation of the project. 9. The no-project scenario will lead to the lack of updated facilities for the resort’s operation. 10. Alternatives to the proposed project have been studied -including different locations of the buildingsfinding many disadvantages. 11. Mitigation measures will be adopted for each of the impacts mentioned. 12. Monitoring to determine the efficiency of the mitigation measures and environmental impact monitoring will be carried out under the supervision of environmental consultants.Item Environmental impact assessment for coastal works at Four Seasons Resort, Landaa Giraavaru, B. Atoll(2010-12) Systems Engineering and Marine ConsultingThe present report assesses the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction of headlands to prevent coastline erosion on the northern shoreline, an offshore breakwater about 30m from the shoreline and construction of an overwater bar on the northern side of the island and beach replenishment of the northern shoreline at B. Landaa Giraavaru.The island of Landaa Giraavaru has historically been eroding (Figure 2). During the construction phase, whilst the coastal works were being conducted, sand movement was hindered, and as a result a large amount of sand was retained on the south-eastern tip of the island. This caused sand depletion on the northern side, speeding up the erosion process that was already taking place naturally. The area under study near the restaurant and swimming pool is an important recreational area for the guests, although it is rarely used for snorkelling or bathing as it does not offer the most favourable conditions. In particular, the important exposed beach rock in this area makes sea access difficult for the snorkelers or swimmers. The eroding coastline exhibits numerous fallen trees and the water is murky as a result of the suspension of top soil in the water column in the near shore area.It is proposed to build some coastal structures, typically headlands and revetments, to retain the sand on the northern shore and replenish the beach using some material from the lagoon area. Three borrow areas are highlighted in the present proposal. To further maintain the coast, some offshore structures are proposed to break the coming waves as well as create habitat for lobsters.In addition, the management has decided on the construction of a new food and beverage outlet in the form of an overwater bar which will be located near the swimming pool area where the grill restaurant, Fuego is already present. Finally, the island is in constant need of sand to maintain the roads after heavy rains in particular. Some sand was previously collected from the accreting eastern side. This was particularly convenient as the pipes under the jetty were often getting buried, which was an operational nuisance. The present report therefore advises to continue with this practice.Item Environmental impact assessment for the coastal maintenance works for Holiday Inn in K. Kandooma(2011-12) Systems Engineering and Marine ConsultingThe present report is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EAI) regarding the coastal maintenance works of the Holidays Inn resort, located on Kandoomafushi, South Male’ Atoll, as the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of Maldives (Law No. 4/93, article 5a) and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2007 require such an assessment study before implementation of any activity that may have a significant impact on the environment. The Holiday Inn Resort has been facing coastal problems since its opening in 2009. The island is regularly subject to waves, and the large and strong waves that hit the island on 22nd of July 2010 caused important damages. Thus, different works have to be carried out in order to maintain and reinforce the integrity of the coastal protection structures: 1. Maintain and reinforce the gabion structures on the eastern and northern sides 2. Raise the existing gabion wall structure to increase protection on the eastern side 3. Reinforce the gabion wall structure to prevent beach erosion in the channel 4. Re-design the southern protection structure to improve the coastal protection 5. Install geo-tubes to prevent beach erosion in front of the restaurant 6. Pump sand to refill the beaches The main potential identified environmental impacts associated with the new developments in Kandooma are mainly construction impacts, in relation with the use of machinery (smell and noise disturbances, oil spillage risks, green house gas emission) and with the construction works themselves (temporary rise in turbidity and modification or damages to the seabed). However, the survey that was conducted in Kandooma, on 20th and 21st August 2011, showed that the construction areas are not very sensitive to these works as there are almost no living corals there. Moreover, it is expected that the works will improve the coastal protection of the island and provide better environment for the guests (wider beaches, less disturbances from waves on the shores, a small new planted island). A monitoring plan has been proposed in order to assess the impact of the works as well as to collect regular data regarding the shoreline and the erosion process over the years. Stakeholders have been consulted, particularly the council of Guraidhoo, which have been informed of the proposed works. They didn’t express objections to the project but they don’t want Holiday Inn to implement any work without prior approval from government, especially regarding the sand pumping. Holiday Inn agreed with their demands.Item Addendum V to environmental impact assessment for the development of a 200 bed tourist hotel on G. Dh. Magudhdhuvaa(2011-10) Systems Engineering and Marine ConsultingAn Environment Impact Assessment on the construction of a tourist resort on Magudhdhuvaa was submitted in 2008. After a review meeting with the Ministry of Transport and Environment, a first addendum to the EIA was submitted outlining the necessary clarifications. The EIA was approved, authorizing the proposed development. Several alterations were made to the layout after the initial designs were submitted and approved, and a second addendum was required to validate these alterations. The development of the resort commenced following the approval of the second addendum. However several alterations were made after the second addendum and a third was submitted and approved. A fourth addendum, regarding new developments, has been recently submitted for review by the Environmental Protection Agency. Now, Ahmet Aydeniz Maldives Pvt. Ltd. wishes to develop a protection wall in the harbour in addition to the developments authorized as per the decision notes (88‐ES/NI‐MAG/2008/3, 88‐DS/NI‐MAG/2010/10 and 88‐ES/NI‐MAG/2011/03) issued following the evaluation of the EIA and the previous addendums. The present addendum V first presents the changes brought by this structure about in the design, followed by a discussion on the environmental consequences of these changes. A summary table giving the pros and cons of the changes is finally given before concluding on the environmental appropriateness of the changes.