Of Dubai's 66-km long coastline, only approximately six kms are publicly accessible sandy beach, the remaining being a sanctuary area.
The coastal zone of Dubai constitutes a valuable resource that requires an integrated and co-ordinated management approach. A number of projects previously carried out in the coastal zone of Dubai have disregarded the natural coastal processes of tides, waves, currents, sand movement and others. This had led to problems such as beach erosion, poor water quality and sedimentation in harbour and creek or lagoon areas.
"More than 50 per cent of the sandy coast of Dubai is eroding, resulting in the loss of beach amenity and potential damage to structures," said Dr. Gary Mocke, Head of the Marine Unit at Dubai Municipality.
Dr Mocke noted that in response to this situation the municipality set up the Marine Work unit in the General Projects Department in 1996.
"In previous years this unit has been engaged primarily in operational project management activities. As the only entity within the municipality with the requisite expertise in coastal and marine processes it has been recognised that the Marine Work unit could play an even larger management and technical review role."
Strategic functions
"It is also recognised that the unit has the additional strategic functions in establishing appropriate development guidelines and legislation and building a sustainable resource base within the municipality. In support of the strategic vision for the unit a comprehensive five-year development plan was drafted in October 1999," said Dr Mocke.
He explained that the mission of the unit oversees the sustainable development and utilisation of the Dubai coastal and marine environment through the formulation and implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone.
Management principles and procedures within the scope of responsibilities of the municipality.
The unit has both an operational and a strategic function within the municipality, he said.
He said the operational function relates mainly to the management and technical review of coastal and marine engineering projects being conducted under the authority of the municipality. This extends to the monitoring and maintenance of past and ongoing projects.
It also provides for and supervises regular maintenance for all coastal and marine elements along the Dubai coastline and the creek. It anticipates and mitigates potential environmental impacts and coastal development impacts of coastal development projects.
However, on a strategic level the unit has a primary responsibility to ensure sufficient expertise and knowledge (i.e. data) and analysis (i.e. modelling) resources are available within the municipality. This would include the formulation and supervision of an ongoing comprehensive 'Field Monitoring Programme'.
A further responsibility of the unit relates to the drawing up of coastal development guidelines for incorporation in codes of practice and eventual passage to legislation.
The unit is also involved in monitoring and database management via a comprehensive field monitoring programme.
Acquisition of, and training on, field measurement instrumentation is one such area. Quality control and analysis of coastal and marine data is another. It also establishes a comprehensive data management system in the municipality. The unit provides specialist advice and technical review on coastal and marine projects and proposals. It prepares provisions of coastal and marine data for the municipality and external parties.
The unit also prepares a historic account of shoreline development and shoreline change along the Dubai coast. It also conducts empirical analysis of available coastal data. It develops and applies analytical and numerical modelling capabilities.
The unit supervises the mentoring and training of local engineers and scientists. It helps in the development of a specialist coastal engineering reference library for reference books and journals. It is involved in the exchange of technology and expertise with the international marine community.
The unit establishes beach erosion setback and structure development lines along the entire coast. It develops specifications to suit local workmanship and materials for construction in the coastal zone. It develops an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for Dubai. It reviews current coastal/marine legislation and regulations and develops coastal development guidelines and legislation.
Technical review
Dr Mocke explained that the unit offers services such as technical review of coastal development proposals. It provides specialist advice on coastal and marine projects and proposals. It provides coastal and marine data; marine site inspections and evaluations. A definition of coastal/marine maintenance requirements. It offers design and supervision of shoreline emergency protection measures.
Speaking about projects being implemented by the unit, he said that a comprehensive coastal zone monitoring programme has been set up for the Dubai coastal zone. The data gathered assists in developing an understanding of the coastal processes at work in this area as well as assessing the likely impacts of proposed new developments along the shoreline.
The data also provides the required verification and calibration information needed for implementing effective coastline, hydrodynamic and morphological models that can be planning and assessment tools.
The monitoring programme includes regular topographic and bathymetric surveys; remote video monitoring of Dubai beaches; sediment sampling; near shore directional wave recordings; and current measurements.
The programme divides the coastline into 13 logical units each of which has its own perceived importance and associated required frequency of measurements.
Each of the monitoring areas undergoes regular bathymetric and topographic surveys. The frequency of surveys varies between areas, based on the perceived erosion potential. These frequencies are subject to yearly review. On the other hand, the municipality has recorded directional wave information from January 1997 to February 2001 at a near shore position just offshore of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority desalination plant near Jebel Ali Port in six to seven metres water depth.
A second recording instrument has since been deployed off the 'T' breakwater at Jumeirah Public Beach to provide directional information in the area of most immediate interest to the municipality.
This instrument will provide a real-time feed of wave information to the municipality offices which will be made available on-line in due course.
In addition, intensive measurement campaigns are being carried out during which pressure transducers and meters are placed at locations of importance.
This typically provides information on wave and current conditions behind structures and inside embayments. The data is used to gain an understanding of the hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes at work in the areas and to calibrate and verify hydrodynamic, sediment and morphological models.
About Video Monitoring, a novel feature of the monitoring programme is the use of video cameras, mounted on the Burj Al Arab hotel, that captures time-lapse imagery of beaches. Captured video data are subjected to time exposure and digital correlation imaging velocimetry analyses to allow beach profile and bar dynamics, as well as nearshore flow dynamics, to be quantified. Live images captured by the cameras will shortly be made available online.
Future plans
He noted that considering the monitoring of the coastal zone is an ongoing project, the unit's achievements to date are in line with planned objectives. A large extent of data has been collected thus far, comprising over 1,200 survey profiles, three historical shorelines, over 500 km of bathymetric and geophysical surveys, 44 months of wave and current measurements and continuous photographic records of areas of interest.
All this data has been collected on a digital database for easy interrogation and extraction. Such extractions have already been carried out for different projects or information requests on a weekly basis. The use of the database is expected to increase once it has been updated with ongoing monitoring information and further marine developments arise. A full suite of computer models has been set up for the Jumeirah coast.
The software version is currently being updated and the models are being re-configured with the latest available monitoring information.
The unit has already served to improve the overall quality of coastal and marine works in Dubai, and has contributed to possible savings of over Dh300 million on marine works to be carried out by the municipality.
In summary, the main achievements of the unit is the establishment of a comprehensive programme for monitoring the evolution of the state of the Dubai marine and coastal environment. Also, the acquisition and implementation of state of the art computer modelling and analysis capabilities within the municipality.
It helped in the development of better understanding of coastal and marine processes along Dubai coast.
It has helped develop local engineers and scientists through academic and guided practical training.
In addition it has set up a database of historical marine and coastal data and formulation of procedure and tariff systems for data release.
It helps in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the municipality as the agency overseeing coastal and marine projects in Dubai. Also, the implementation of quality control procedures for ensuring technical adherence by consultants and contractors to international standards of best practice. It has helped publicise the role of the municipality in managing the coastal zone of Dubai.
About future initiatives, Dr Mocke said the constraints related to resource limitations have severely inhibited the strategic functioning of the unit over the past two years. With the expansion of the unit from two engineers to its preset complement of six engineers and scientists the unit is now in a much better position to advance its strategic role. Such efforts will ensure the long term effectiveness of the unit and ensure the sustainable development and utilisation of the Dubai coastal and marine environment.
"The main initiatives planned include carrying out a data base condition survey of all coastal structural elements of Dubai. Also investigation and design proposals for rehabilitation of Jumeirah coast fishing harbours; assessment of alternative coastal protection measures using cost-effective alternatives such as sand filled geo-textiles; a beach and swimmer safety assessment development of beach management guidelines for the entire Dubai coast; incorporating an assessment of the impact of proposed new coastal development projects; limited beach amenity; coastal erosion; uncontrolled development; bathing hazards; coastal infrastructure degradation and inadequate facilities."
He concluded that the unit is involved in an important marine work such as video monitoring, satellite imaging, sediment sampling, site observations. In addition the marine has projects in Dubai Creek, Al Mamzar, Port Rashid, Jumeirah Public Beach, Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, Jumeirah Beach Park, Umm Suqeim beaches and Madinat Jumeirah.
Principal roles of marine unit
- Project Management which include the pre-qualifying consultants/contractors to be invited to tender.
- Analysis for and preparation of tender reports for awarding contracts. Also a technical supervision and management of consultants in the investigation, design and construction components of coastal/marine projects.
- Give reports about the post-storm damage.
Another responsibility is the Coastal/Marine Maintenance which include: - Annual asset appraisal of existing coastal/marine structures.
- Initial and annual survey of the state of the entire Dubai coastal and estuarine environment.
- Regular inspection of vulnerable areas/structures.
- Definition of coastal/marine maintenance requirements for Dubai.
- Commission investigation and design studies.
- Design of damage response action plans (ie. beach erosion, structural damage).
- Supervise maintenance activities and contracts.
- Request and compile information on non-municipality coastal zone activities.
- Supervise sand search investigations.
- Review potential onshore sources of beach nourishment material, especially any excavations undertaken near the coast (ie. road/construction projects).
- Supervise nourishment placement and monitoring.
- Develop and implement procedures for ongoing sand maintenance and emergency replenishment following shamal (storm) events.
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