Information Research on Coastal Morphological Environment of Kuwait, Organizations, Role and Coastal Legislations
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Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, 16 (2), 7-25 (2011) (Regular Paper) INFORMATION RESEARCH ON COASTAL MORPHOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT OF KUWAIT, ORGANIZATIONS, ROLE AND COASTAL LEGISLATIONS Saji Baby 1, 2 1Birla Institute of Technology, Department of Remote Sensing & Geoinformatics, Mesra, India. 2GEO Environmental Consultation, Hawally, P. O. Box: 677, Al-Surra 4507, Kuwait. Email: [email protected] (Received December 2010 and Accepted June 2011) هﺬﻩ اﻟﻤﺨﻄﻮﻃﺔ هﻲ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺟﻤﻌﺖ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻤﺸﻬﺪ اﻟﻤﻮرﻓﻮﻟﻮﺟﻲ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻲ (CML) ﻓﻲ دوﻟﺔ اﻟﻜﻮﻳﺖ واﻟﺘﻲ ﻳﻬﺪف ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼﻟﻬﺎ اﻟﺒﺎﺣﺜﻴﻦ اﻟﻘﻴﺎم ﺑﺪراﺳﺎت ﻋﻦ ﺗﻄﻮر اﻟﻤﻨﻈﺮ اﻟﻤﻮرﻓﻮﻟﻮﺟﻲ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻲ (CML) واﻟﻤﺴﺎﻋﺪة ﻓﻲ ﺑﻨﺎء اﺳﺘﺮاﺗﻴﺠﻴﺎت إدارة اﻟﻤﻨﺎﻃﻖ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻴﺔ. اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻢ ﺗﺠﻤﻴﻌﻬﺎ ﺗﺘﻜﻮن ﻣﻦ اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻢ اﻟﺘﻨﺠﻴﻢ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ ﻟﻠﺠﻐﺮاﻓﻴﺎ، واﻟﻤﻨﺎخ، واﻟﺠﺰر واﻟﺴﺎﺣﻞ واﻟﺸﺮﻳﻂ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻲ، اﻟﺠﻴﻮﻣﻮرﻓﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺎ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻴﺔ، واﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻴﺔ، واﻟﻤﻨﺎﻃﻖ اﻟﻤﺤﻤﻴﺔ، واﻟﺘﻨﻈﻴﻤﺎت واﻟﺘﺸﺮﻳﻌﺎت اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻴﺔ. اﻟﺘﻘﻨﻴﺎت اﻟﻤﻌﺘﻤﺪة ﺷﻤﻠﺖ: (أ) ﺟﻤﻊ اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت اﻷوﻟﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺴﺢ اﺳﺘﻄﻼﻋﻲ و اﻟﻤﻘﺎﺑﻼت، وﺳﻠﺴﻠﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻻﺳﺘﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت وردود اﻟﻔﻌﻞ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺨﺒﺮاء واﻷﻓﺮاد واﻟﻤﻬﻨﻴﻴﻦ و (ب) ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﺟﻤﻊ اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﺜﺎﻧﻮﻳﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل ﺟﻤﻊ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت ﻣﻦ ﻣﺼﺎدر ﻣﺘﻨﻮﻋﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﻮاد واﻟﻮﺛﺎﺋﻖ و اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﻤﺨﺰﻧﺔ إﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻴﺎً. اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻢ ﺗﺠﻤﻴﻌﻬﺎ ﺗﺮآﺰ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ اﻟﻤﻮرﻓﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺔ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻴﺔ ، ودور اﻟﻤﻨﻈﻤﺎت واﻟﺘﺸﺮﻳﻌﺎت اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻴﺔ. ﺗﻢ اﻟﺘﺤﻘﻖ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻢ ﺟﻤﻌﻬﺎ ﻟﻠﺼﺤﺔ إﻟﻰ أﻗﺼﻰ ﻣﺴﺘﻮى. آﻠﻤﺎت اﻟﺒﺤﺚ: اﻟﻤﺴﺢ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﻲ واﻟﺜﺎﻧﻮي، اﻟﻤﻨﺎﻇﺮ اﻟﻄﺒﻴﻌﻴﺔ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻴﺔ، اﻟﺠﻴﻮﻣﻮرﻓﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺎ، اﻟﺨﻂ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻠﻲ، واﺳﺘﺨﺪام اﻷراﺿﻲ واﻟﺠﺰر، واﻟﻤﻮاﺋﻞ، واﻟﺘﺸﺮﻳﻌﺎت This manuscript is information compiled for coastal morphological landscape (CML) in the State of Kuwait for the purpose of researchers to undergo coastal morphological landscape (CML) evolution studies and help in building coastal management strategies. The information compiled consists of data mined for geography, climate, islands, coast and coastline, coastal geomorphology, coastal habitat, protected areas, organization and coastal legislations. Techniques adopted were (i) Primary data collection from reconnaissance survey, interviews, a series of questionnaires and feedback from group of individuals, experts and professionals and (ii) Secondary data collection method by collecting information from a diverse source of documents, articles and electronically stored information. Information compiled focuses on coastal morphological environment, Organizations and Role and Coastal Legislations. The information collected was verified for the authenticity to the maximum level. Keywords: Primary and secondary survey, Coastal landscape, geomorphology, shoreline, land use, islands, habitat, legislation Although the data proved to be valuable, the collection 1. INTRODUCTION process was very time consuming and provided sufficient background information for the study area which would lead to the research studies on CML This manuscript is a collection of information as result evolution. It gives basic understanding and promotes of data mining which reflects the coastal confidence in the overall quality of analysis and morphological environment of Kuwait. The main findings. It is a screening study about the coastal purpose of information research is to provide environment of Kuwait. background information to undergo coastal morphological landscape (CML) evolutionary studies and help in building coastal management strategies. 7 Saji Baby Objective: This manuscript is prepared with a main feedback from group of individuals, experts and objective of collecting the information on coastal professionals. morphology in the State of Kuwait for the purpose of 2) Secondary data collection by collecting research and to undergo CML evolutionary studies information from a diverse source of documents, and help build coastal management strategies to articles and electronically stored information. protect the vital coastal landscape ecosystem. 3) Information compiled focused on coastal morphological environment, Organizations and its Methods and Approach: There are a range of different role and Coastal Legislations. types of methods for collecting information. The 4) The information collected was verified for the methods used here are used by researchers, evaluators, authenticity. policy analysts, economists and a number of other disciplines for similar type of studies. The methods and The information compiled consists of data mined approach adopted to compile data are: for geography, climate, islands, coast and 1) Primary data collection from reconnaissance coastline, coastal geomorphology, coastal habitat, survey, interviews, a series of questionnaires and protected areas, organization and coastal legislations. 2. GEOGRAPHY Figure 1: Location of Kuwait and Arabian Gulf (Courtsey: Microsoft Encarta World Atlas 1998 Edition) The State of Kuwait constitutes a portion of arid zone a total length of 685 kilometers. Most of Kuwait's in the north-western coastal plain of the Arabian Gulf territory is flat and sandy. The western point (Salmi (Fig.1). Kuwait occupies an area of approximately and Shaqaya) which is 300 meters high slopes down 17,800 km2, extending between 28° 30' N and 30° 05' to sea level at the western shore of the Gulf. The N of latitudes and 46° 3' E and 48° 35' E of population according to Ministry of Planning for longitudes[11&13]. Kuwait is surrounded by Arabian 2005 is 2,213,403[31]. The state is inhabited mainly Gulf (east), Iraq (north and west) and Saudi Arabia along the stretches of shoreline. (south and west) (Fig.2). The borders of Kuwait have 8 Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, Vol. 16, No.2, 2011 Information Research on Coastal Morphological Environment of Kuwait, Organizations, Role and Coastal Legislations Figure 2: Landsat Image of Kuwait for Year 2003[11&12]. dominant prevailing winds in the State of Kuwait are 3. CLIMATE from the Northwesterly direction with average wind speed 4.5 m/sec; during the summer the highest wind Kuwait has a variable continental climate. Summer speed reaches 5.5- 6.0 m/sec and during winter lowest months are dry and very hot starting from March to reaches 3.5 -4.0 m / sec (November and December). October. The temperature in summer varies between from 30- 45° C, reaching 54° C during day time in Fog occurs particularly in the winter months, August. Winter months are cooler and moderately wet forming during the very early hours and disappearing starting from early December to middle of February. by mid-morning, evaporation far exceeds rainfall The temperature in winter varies between from 7-17° C. throughout the year. On the coast, climatic extremes are Rainfall is erratic and inconsistent and shows great probably less than inland. The maximum tidal range on temporal and spatial variation (averaging 23-206 mm the mainland coast is 3.5-4.0m; seawater temperature per year between stations), with most rain usually varies widely, from 12°C (January) to 34°C (July), and falling between November and May, although salinity from 3.8 to 4.2%. Figure 3 shows the trend in occasional showers may fall in October, and June to climatic pattern for last 47 years from 1962-2009. The August are practically rainless. graph is based on data obtained from Kuwait International Airport Meteorological Station (40582) Frequent sandstorms occur from May to July, and August and September are extremely humid. The Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, Vol. 16, No.2, 2011 9 Saji Baby Figure 3: Trend in Climatic Pattern (1962-2009) 4. ISLANDS OF KUWAIT There are presently nine islands of Kuwait. The salient features of each island are described in Table 1. 10 Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, Vol. 16, No.2, 2011 Information Research on Coastal Morphological Environment of Kuwait, Organizations, Role and Coastal Legislations Table.1: Islands of Kuwait and Salient Features Islands Location Area Features Major Source & type of Governo land rate use Northern Mudflat Islands 1. Warba and 2. Bubiyan 29°59′38″N 37 Warbah Island constitutes the [28] 48°04′00″E km2 northernmost part of eastern Kuwait and has an average Al-Jahra elevation of 11 m above sea level. The island is composed of soft mud and gypsiferous silty sediments from the sediments of Euphrates and Tigris rivers. It has several tidal creeks and high tide covers most of the island. The island is considered as an important site as it includes wetlands and marshes. It is also an important nursing ground for fish and shrimp as well as the existence of mangrove. The Permanent National (Landsat 2001) Biodiversity Committee which aims at regulating the utilization of protected area and prioritizing lands for protection has proposed protecting the northern boundaries of Warba Island. 29°44′41″N 863 Bubiyan is the largest island New [6] 48°21′03″E km2 of Kuwait which is flat, low- commerc lying, and composed of ial Al-Jahra deltaic mud of the Tigris and seaport Euphrates River system. It is and a also located in the northern lakefront area near Shatt Al Arab delta, communi and measures 40 km long and ty 30 km wide. The island is comprisi separated from the mainland ng a by a narrow channel, Khor series of As Sabiya which drifts low- around Bubiyan island density separating it from the Warba resorts island. About 75 percent of proposed Bubiyan stands above spring on the high tides. This area is southern sparsely vegetated, with part of halophytes growing in island deltaic-estuarine type sabkha deposits. Small, isolated wind-shadow gypsum dunes Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, Vol. 16, No.2, 2011 11 Saji Baby Islands Location Area Features Major Source & type of Governo land rate use are formed by wind drifts