ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Maintenance Dredging of Entrance Channel, Gaafaru, Kaafu Atoll Proposed by Gaafaru Island Council Prepared by Ahmed Jameel, For Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Maldives March 2014 Maintenance Dredging of Gaafaru Entrance Channel EIA, Gaafaru, Malé Atoll 1 Table of Contents 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 2 DECLARATION OF THE CONSULTANTS 3 3 PROPONENTS COMMITMENT 4 4 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY 6 5 INTRODUCTION 7 6 LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 7 6.1 LAWS AND REGULATIONS 7 6.1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION ACT 7 6.1.2 PROTECTED AREAS AND SENSITIVE AREAS 7 6.1.3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REGULATION 2012 7 6.1.4 REGULATION ON CORAL, SAND AND AGGREGATE MINING 7 6.1.5 GUIDELINES FOR DOMESTIC WASTEWATER DISPOSAL 8 6.2 ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS 8 6.2.1 DECISION STATEMENT (EDS) 8 6.3 RESPONSIBLE INSTITUTIONS 8 6.3.1 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 8 6.3.2 MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY 8 7 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 9 7.1 MAINTENANCE DREDGING OF ENTRANCE CHANNEL 9 7.2 PROJECT LOCATION AND STUDY AREA 10 7.3 NEED AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROJECT 10 7.4 MAINTENANCE DREDGING METHOD 10 7.5 CREATION OF BUND WALL AROUND FILL AREA 11 7.6 PROJECT SCHEDULE 11 7.7 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES 11 7.8 PROJECT INPUTS AND OUTPUTS 11 8 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 12 8.1 CLIMATE 12 8.1.1 WIND SPEED 12 8.1.2 WIND CONDITIONS 12 8.2 GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY 15 8.2.1 HISTORIC SHORELINE CHANGES 16 8.3 HYDROGRAPHY 16 8.3.1 TIDE DATUM 16 8.3.2 TIDE LEVELS 17 8.4 SEA LEVEL RISE 17 8.5 WAVES 18 8.5.1 STORM SURGE 18 8.5.2 CURRENTS 18 8.5.3 TIDAL CURRENTS 19 8.5.4 MARINE WATER QUALITY 20 8.6 SOCIO ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 20 8.7 MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY 21 9 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 23 9.1 NO DEVELOPMENT OPTION 23 9.1.1 ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL OPTION FOR MAINTENANCE DREDGING 23 10 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 24 10.1 ASSESSING AND IDENTIFICATION OF IMPACT 24 10.2 IMPACT IDENTIFICATION MATRIX 24 10.3 MAGNITUDE OF IMPACTS 26 10.4 OVERALL IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT 26 10.5 UNCERTAINTIES IN IMPACT PREDICTION 27 10.6 IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 28 10.7 IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR MITIGATION MEASURES 29 11 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING 30 11.1 MONITORING REPORT 30 11.2 MONITORING SCHEDULE AND PARAMETERS 30 12 CONCLUSION 31 13 REFERENCE BOOKS AND SOURCES 32 14 ANNEX: TERMS OF REFERENCE 33 15 ANNEX: BATHYMETRY OF THE ENTRANCE CHANNELS 35 16 ANNEX: EROSION AND ACCRETION AT THE ISLAND 37 17 ANNEX: MAINTENANCE DREDGING PROJECT AT GAAFARU 39 18 ANNEX: LETTER FROM KAAFU ATOLL COUNCIL 41 Page 2 Maintenance Dredging of Gaafaru Entrance Channel EIA, Gaafaru, Malé Atoll 2 Declaration of the consultants This EIA report has been prepared according to the EIA Regulations 2012, issued by the Ministry of Housing and Environment. I certify that the statements in this Environmental Impact Assessment study are true, complete and correct to my knowledge and best of my ability Name: Ahmed Jameel (EIA 07/07 ) Signature: Page 3 Maintenance Dredging of Gaafaru Entrance Channel EIA, Gaafaru, Malé Atoll 3 Proponents commitment Page 4 Maintenance Dredging of Gaafaru Entrance Channel EIA, Gaafaru, Malé Atoll c ާސާލުޙ ާދާސ .ެވެކެޓރޯޕިރ ާވިއަފިވެރުކުރާޔްއަތ ްށަކަމުތަގިއަޑަވިދެއ ެގ ެގްލިސުއަކ ުރަފާގ ކަޓޯޕިރިމ ްށަމުރުކްނުފ ުރެނ 2 ޭވެރުކްނުނޭބ ްށަމުކިނ ެދަވ ްށަރަފާގ .ކ ްނިތަމ ެގާފަލ ެގޭއ.ީޕ.ީއ ީކަޓރޯޕިރިމ ްނިއ ްނަޝުއިލޮސ ރަޓޯވ ްނުތޮގ ެގުމުލެބ ޯތްއެމަކެނާރުކްއެރަސައ ާހިކ ްށަޓްއެވާމިތ ްނުބަބަސ ެގުތަކްތަސަމޭވެރުކ ާރުކްނާޔަބ ުރަވްނިމ ާރޯފ ުރަސައ ްށަޓްއެވާމިތ ީނަވިއަފިވެރުކ ުރާޔްއަތ ްޓރޯޕިރިމ .ެވެކެޓރޯޕިރ ާވިއަފިވެރުކުރާޔްއަަތ .ެވެށޮކ ްށައާޔިރ ްށައ 2012 ާދިއާވާގ ޭހެބ ިއާމުރުކ ުރާޔްއަތ ްޓރޯޕިރ ްށަމުރުކްނުފ ުރެނ 2 ޭވެރުކްނުނޭބ ްށަމުކިނ ެދަވ ްށަރަފާގ .ކ ީނެނެމިހިމ ިއަގްޓްކެޖޮރޕިމ ުރެނ ުރޭބ .ެވެންނެގްށޮކްނުނޭބ ްއެޕްނަޕ ްޑްނޭސ ިއާކަރަޓޭވަކްސްކެއ ީނަވިއަފިވޭރ ްށަމުރުކ ްނަކިމ .ެވެކެތަކްތަސަމޭވެރުކ ެގުށަރ .ެވެށަޑަގްއަރ ާވިއަފިދެހ ިއަގުތާރަފ ުގނަޅުހ ެގުރެނ ީނާވިއަފިހެޖަމަހ ްށަމުޅެއ ިލެވ ޭވެނޮކ ްށަމުރުކްނުފ .ެވެށަތާރަފ ުނުކެދ ެގުށަރ ީނަވިއަފިހެޖަމަހ ްށަމުޅެއ ިލެވ ޭގެނ ުރިއާރުކްނުފ ުރެނ ާރުކްނުނޭބ ްށަންނަވ ްށަރަދނަބ .ެވެކެދްއަޚަރަޝ ާވިއަފެވާމިދ ްށަޑޮބ ްށަރަވުރާހިމ ްލަސްއަމ ެގުމުރިގްއަރ ީކަދްއަހަރަސިމ ްށޮކްތަޔާއިރ ްށަމަކްނަކިމ .ެވެކެރސައ ަޑުކ ްށަރަވ ީނާރުކ ްށަޓްއެވާމިތ ްނުމަކ ްއެއޫރްޝަމ ަޑުކ ްށަރަވ ީއިމ ާސާރިދ ުނުވެރުކ .ެވެއަފިވެނަގެނެދ ީނަވ ުރަސައ ެނާރުކ ްށަޓްއެވާމިތ ްނުބަބަސ ެގޫރްޝަމ ިމ ްނުކަތްއަތްނަކ ިލެބ .ެވެއެނެފުނ ްށަކަމަކެނޭބިލ ްއެކަތ ްނުލްއެގ ެގުރަވާވުޑޮބްނަކ ްށަޓްއެވާމިތ ްނުބަބަސ ެގ ްޓެޖޮރްޕ ިމ ުހަފްށަމުލ ެބ ްށަކަތ ިދައ .ެވެއީތޭނެމިހުނ ްއެކަތްއަތްނަކ ަނިގާމ ާވްނުލްއެގ ްށަޓްއެވާމިތ ުރިއާދްނެގ ްށައިރުކ ްޓްކެޖޮރްޕ ިމ ީކަބަބަސ .ެވެއެނާވަޑުކ ްށަރަވ ުރަސައ ޭވެދޭނ ެގޭއ ްނުމަކްއެމަކ ާރުކ ްށަކަޅޮކްސަވުދ ަޑުކ ީކަމަކިމ ްނުތޮގިމ .ެވެއެނާވިއަފިވެރުކަގަހާފ ިއަގްޓރޯޕިރ ްސެވްނަކެނާރުކ ްއެކަތާދިއަފ ްއަތެއ ްނުބަބަސ ެގ ުޢޫރްޝަމ ިމ ްނުބަބަސ ެގުއޫރްޝަމިމ ްނުމުލެބިލެބ ްށޮކާސާރިދ ިމ .ެވެއެނާރުކ ްށަކަތަދްއުމުގިދ ުރަސައ ެގޭއ ިއަފެވަނިގ ްއަތާދިއަފޭބިލ ުއޫރްޝަމިމ ްނުމަކެނާރުކ ްއެކަތާދިއަފ ްނުބަބަސ ެގްޓްކެޖޮރްޕ ިމ .ެވެއާދިއަފ ީނާރުކ ެރުވްށަމުލްއެގ ޭބިލ ްށަޓްއެވާމިތ .ެވެއެނެފ ްށަމަކްއެމަކުޅަގނަރ ެމްނެއ ިދައ ުމްނިހުމ ީކަމުއިދްނެގ ްށައިރުކ Page 5 Maintenance Dredging of Gaafaru Entrance Channel EIA, Gaafaru, Malé Atoll 4 Non-Technical Summary This report discusses the findings of an environmental impact study to assess the impacts of the proposed project to undertake maintenance dredging at entrance channels at Gaafru. The project is proposed by Gaafaru Island Council, will be implemented by private contractor. Gaafaru Island has two channels to access the island. The outer entrance channel is 360 m long and 30 m wide. But the width and depth of outer entrance has decreased overtime due to accumulation of sand. This channel is used to access the island lagoon from eastern side. The other entrance channel is 430 m long and 30 m wide. But the width of this channel has decreased to 15 m is some section while the depth is around 1m at MSL due to the accumulation of the sand. Due to this, the entrance channel cannot be used by the fishing vessels and other vessels to access the island. Presently, the access to the island is only possible at high tide during the day time. The entrance channel has become a hazard to be used during low tides and at night. The proposed project is to undertake maintenance dredging of the entrance channels to have adequate depth and width so that all the vessels can use it all the time. The maintenance dredging will be carried out using excavators and sand pump. The dredge material form the outer entrance channel will be disposed on to the island west of entrance channel and from inner entrance channel on to the southern side of the island which is experiencing signs of erosions. Environmental impacts were assessed for the maintenance dredging operations of the entrance channels. The main constructional impact is the direct removal of sand which had deposited on the entrance channels. The excavation and pumping of the deposited sand would create sedimentation. Sedimentation could have an impact on the marine environment. This impact is considered minor to moderate negative given that the area does not have significant coral cover. In terms of sedimentation the impacts will be small to negligible as no proposed excavation or pumping activities would not create high sedimentation. The sedimentation that would be created would be disperse to the large water body around the project area. There are very limited and few mitigation measures which could be carried out due to the low impact of that is envisage with this project. The socio-economic impacts of the project are highly positive as the project would facilitate a greater use of the entrance channel and would help with the high mobility of the community of the island. Page 6 Maintenance Dredging of Gaafaru Entrance Channel EIA, Gaafaru, Malé Atoll 5 Introduction This Environmental Impact Assessment report has been prepared to fulfil the requirements of the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, law no. 4/93 in order to assess the impacts of the proposed project to undertake maintenance dredging at entrance channels at Gaafru, Malé Atoll. The aim of this project is to ensure that the project activity does not pose significant threats to the environment during the execution of the works. 6 Legal and Administrative Framework The project conforms to the requirements of the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of the Maldives, Law no. 4/93. The EIA has been undertaken in accordance with the EIA Regulation 2012 of the Maldives by registered consultants. Furthermore, it adheres to the principles underlined in the regulations, action plans, programmes and policies of Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure, Ministry of Environment and Energy and Environmental Protection Agency. These are discussed in detail in the following sections. 6 . 1 Laws and Regulations 6 . 1 . 1 Environmental Protection and Preservation Act Article 5 (a) of the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act (Law No. 4/93) addresses the submission of an EIA (Majilis, 1993). It states that an EIA shall be submitted to Ministry of Environment before implementing any developing project that may have a potential impact on the environment. This project complies with this act. 6 . 1 . 2 Protected Areas a nd Sensitive Areas Under Article 4 of the Environment Protection and Preservation Act, the Ministry of Environment is vested with the responsibility of identifying and registering protected areas and natural reserves and drawing up of rules and regulations for their protection and preservation. At present there are no rules and regulations made available