ABU DHABI, 19 Oct, 04 (WAM) - Dubai Municipality marine experts presentedtheir latest design for a novel multi-function artificial reef to theirpeers at the world?s most important international conference in coastalengineering, held recently in Portugal.
The delegation from Dubai Municipality took part in the InternationalConference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE 2004), held in Lisbon with delegatesfrom more than 50 countries attending, according to reports in the UAE'sdailies.
The delegation was headed by Eng. Rashad Bukhash, Director of the GeneralProjects Department, and included Eng Khalid Al Zahed, Head of the CoastalManagement Section and Dr Gary Mocke, Marine Expert at the section. DrMocke presented a technical paper entitled 'Evaluation of a novel multi-functionartificial reef for Dubai.' "The paper describes the development and testing of an artificial reefthat has a number of important engineering, environmental and recreationalamenity advantages over conventional coastal protection breakwater structures,"said Al Zahed.
He described how the reef, designed by Coastal Management Section engineers,is effective in the primary function of protecting the adjacent coastfrom storm wave action and erosion. This has been confirmed by computersimulation and physical scale modelling carried out by the Municipality,which has shown how the reef provides wave shelter and accumulates sandbehind the submerged structure. Being fully submerged, the reef does notobstruct views out to sea like conventional breakwaters and it is alsoexpected to be an important habitat for marine growth and fish aggregationin near-shore areas.
A secondary unique and attractive function of the reef is that it providesa controlled breaking wave suitable for surfing and other marine boardsports.
Al Zahed emphasised that it was evident from the Lisbon conference aswell as a conference held last year in New Zealand that the new designimproves on the surfing and engineering performance of existing reef structures,which are gaining increased international popularity as an alternativeto conventional structures. This was confirmed by the enthusiastic andpositive response from conference delegates, with interest expressed forsimilar reef constructions in Italy, Spain, the US, France and South Africa.
Al Zahed indicated that final design refinement studies on the reef arecurrently underway, with the expectation that implementation will be carriedout in the course of 2005.
Following the Lisbon conference, the Municipality delegation was invitedto inspect coastal developments along the coast of southwest Spain bythe Spanish Ministry of the Environment. Official meetings were held withthe Governor Delegate of Andalusia as well as the Cadiz Mayor and Directorof the Cadiz Port Free Zone Authority. The visit afforded the delegationthe opportunity to compare the high-density mass tourist coastal developmentsof the Mediterranean Costa del Sol with the more controlled developmentevident on the Atlantic coast south of Cadiz.
These visits were guided by Dr Gregorio Gomez-Pina, local manager ofthe Coastal Management Directorate, who emphasised on the need for strictcontrol in order to maintain an attractive and sustainable coastal zonethat can be enjoyed by all sectors of the population. Such controls includethe enforcement of development setback regulations prohibiting constructionwithin 50m of the high tide line.
Al Zahed remarked that the Municipality is currently in the process ofupdating its own coastal management guidelines and regulations, with anticipatedimplementation in the near future.
