EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. CHAPTER ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EXISTING 3 ENVIRONMENT 3.1 Introduction The chapter basically highlights the existing baseline scenario according to the three (3) major environmental components namely physical, biological and socio-economical environments. The existing environment is documented to form a basis for the assessment of potential impacts (either positive or negative) generated from the proposed development onto the surrounding environment. Conversely any existing conditions that are likely to impact upon the proposed development itself will also be discussed. The prevalent physical and biological environment will be an indicator of the existing nature’s carrying capacity to adapt to the potential impacts generated by the proposed development. While, the socio-economic background of the surrounding areas is established to represent specific aspects of the human environment, which normally poses significant implications in the implementation of the built development. The existing environment is determined for an impact area which extends for five (5) km radius from the boundary of the Project Site. The assessment is profiled according to site surveys and published secondary data (i.e. maps, reports and structure plans) made available by the relevant government agencies. 3.2 Physical Environment 3.2.1 Topography The topography of the Project Site in relation to the surroundings is shown in Figure 3.1 . Based on the topographical survey plan provided by the licensed surveyor, the morphology of the Project Site shows that the Project Site is generally characterised as undulating terrains with average elevations ranging from RL30m to RL80m above mean sea level. The highest ground (approximately RL 113.89m) lies at the peak of the hill lock in the northern portion of the Project Site while the lowest ground (approximately RL 25.30m) is within the valley of the tributary of Sg. Beranang which is situated at the southwestern boundary of the Project Site as shown in Figure 3.2. The terrain of the Project Site slopes down from the high grounds in the northern and eastern portions towards the valley of the tributary of Sg. Beranang in the middle. EUROPASIA ENGINEERING SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3-1 EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. EUROPASIA ENGINEERING SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3-2 EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. EUROPASIA ENGINEERING SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3-3 EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. 3.2.2 Hydrology From the hydrological aspect, the Project Site generally lies within the Sg. Semenyih catchment area as shown in Figure 3.3 . The total acreage of the Sg. Semenyih catchment is approximately 630 km 2 (155,676 ac). However, Sg. Semenyih catchment area at the existing bridge crossing of LEKAS Highway in the vicinity of the Project Site is approximately 268.8 km 2. According to Pengarah Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) Selangor (2012), JPS informed that there was no record of flooding occurring in the vicinity of the Project Site. The existing topography of the proposed Project Site shows this area Sg. Semenyih Sg. Rinching is drained by natural streams and depressions. Majority of the Project Site (middle and southern portions) is drained by the tributary of Sg. Beranang. Tributary of Sg. Kabul drains the eastern portion of the Sg. Kembong Project Site and the tributary of Sg. PROJECT SITE Rinching drains the northeastern Sg. Beranang portion of the Project Site while the tributary of Sg. Kembong drains the Sg. Kabul western portion of the Project Site. Sg. Beranang The tributary of Sg. Rinching in the northeastern portion of the Project Site flows into a ponded area due to the platform levels rise by the adjacent development in the eastern region. Both Sg. Kabul and Sg. Kembong flow into Sg. Beranang prior to draining into Sg. Semenyih at Kg. Batu Enam Bangi while Sg. Rinching drains directly into Sg. Semenyih at Kg. Rinching Hilir. Sg. Semnyih will drain into Sg. Langat at Kg. Bukit Piatu and eventually discharges into Straits of Melaka. Based on the Water Quality Monitoring and Sources of Pollution within the Sg. Langat Map (DOE, 1994) and updated by the Environment Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) as of 20 th April 2013, as well as water intake stations of Puncak Niaga Sdn. Bhd., there are eight (8) water intake points within the Sg. Langat river catchments as shown in Table 3.1 and the nearest water intake points of Sg. Semenyih Water Supply Scheme and Bukit Tampoi Water Treatment Plants are located 14km and 26km downstream from the Project Site respectively as shown in Figure 3.4 . EUROPASIA ENGINEERING SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3-4 EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. EUROPASIA ENGINEERING SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3-5 EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. EUROPASIA ENGINEERING SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3-6 EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. Table 3.1: Water Intake Points within the Sg. Langat Water Catchment Location of the Water Intake Name of River Water Supply Scheme Location from (Water Treatment Plant) the Project Site Longitude Latitude Sg. Langat Water Catchment 101 0 50’ 18” E 30 44’ 42” N Sg. Lolo Sg. Lolo Upstream 101 0 50’ 24” E 30 44’ 36” N Sg. Pangsoon Sg. Pangsoon Upstream 101 0 47’ 12” E 30 05’ 48” N Sg. Serai Sg. Serai Upstream 101 0 47’ 30” E 30 04’ 42” N Sg. Langat Sg. Langat Batu 10 Upstream 101 0 46’ 36” E 30 02’ 36” N Sg. Langat Cheras Batu 11 Upstream 101 0 41’ 23” E 20 54’ 07” N Sg. Semenyih Sg. Semenyih Downstream 101 0 42’ 05” E 20 47’ 05” N Sg. Labu Salak Tinggi Upstream 101 0 40’ 48” E 20 50’ 48” N Sg. Langat Bukit Tampoi Downstream Source: Environment Quality Act 1974 (ACT 127) as at 20 th April 2013 and Puncak Niaga S/B. 3.2.3 General Geology of the Project Site The geological information of the Project area as shown in Figure 3.5 , was obtained from the Geological Map of Peninsular Malaysia (1985) and the Geological Map of Selangor, Sheet 94 Kuala Lumpur (1976), published by the Director-General of Geological Survey Department Malaysia. The Project Site is situated on the metasediments of schists rock type namely Jelebu Schist Formation which consists of mainly phyllite, slate with minor quartz-mica schist and is believed to be probably aged Middle Ordovician to Early Siluran, except the southeastern portion of the Project Site consists essentially of granite (Main Range Granite bodies) which is light grey, coarse grained and exhibit phaneritic-phorphyritic texture and probably aged middle Jurassic to upper Triassic. The sedimentary rocks in the Jelebu Schist Formation have undergone both thermal and regional metamorphism due to the intrusion of the Main Range Granite, resulting in the alteration of the shale and mudstone to phyllite, slate and minor schist. Based on the geological map, no major discontinuity is found in this area. Local discontinuities could be commonly found in granitic bedrock but since the area is highly weathered and covered by overburden soils with little outcrop seen at the proposed Project Site, therefore assessment of discontinuities could not be carried out. The overburden soils, which derived from the weathered granitic rock generally, consist of sandy CLAY and sandy SILT with some gravel. EUROPASIA ENGINEERING SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3-7 EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. EUROPASIA ENGINEERING SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3-8 EIA for the Proposed Mixed Housing and Commercial Development on Lot 39, Mukim Beranang, District of Hulu Langat, Selangor for Setia Ecohill 2 Sdn. Bhd. 3.2.4 Geological Terrain Mapping A well-planned development is important to ensure a built up area is safe for human living. In correspond to government’s policy to develop a safe and environmental friendly and integrated agricultural area; this area should be evaluated in terms of its appropriate aspects for future development. Terrain evaluation involves the investigation of landform and terrain related features. This technique is used both to identify land use limitations and to assess in broad terms overall land use suitability. It is used widely as a planning tool and has a major application in the field of geotechnical engineering. In this Geotechnical Area Study, a systematic approach is used to collect, characterize and rationalized the natural variations which occur across the terrain. One of the approaches taken is to perform a geological terrain mapping which involves mainly slope gradient and terrain analysis or classification. The mapping technique is correlated to Table 3.2 and a series of maps is drawn to derive the classification of the land under study. This report is to fulfil the requirement of Jabatan Mineral and Geosains Selangor/Wilayah Persekutuan (JMGS/WP). Therefore, Advanced Consulting Engineers Sdn. Bhd. has been appointed by Messer Bukit Indah (Selangor) Sdn.