8 comments so far.Marsalforn’s coastal sea defences report under assessment
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The Marine Section and Storm Water Control Unit of the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs have sent in a report to the Malta Environment and Planning Aurthority (MEPA) for the proposed development of coastal defences against wave incidence on shore for Marsalforn Bay including: beach nourishment; construction of groin; upgrade of storm water channel and construction of submerged breakwater, at Marsalforn Bay.
The consultation period for the projected has now ended and MEPA’s Environment Protection Directorate now have to assess the plan for approval or rejection.
Meanwhile Marsalforn residents and businesses will be preparing themselves for another winter with disruption and damage caused by the sea during strong winds.
This report was compiled to form a pre-application document in order that MEPA officials may form a conversant assessment of the proposed development and determine if further studies are required.
The report states “that the proposed interventions are located in the Marsalforn Bay, which is a natural creek and fishing harbour. For centuries this village has been functioning as a touristic venue at the same time as fishermen’s village.”
The interventions will be carried out in the inner part of the bay. They are intended to attenuate the wave heights before waves strike the foreshore.In fact the destruction of the breakwater arm at Marsalforn by recent storms has left the foreshore in Marsalforn Bay exposed to the high waves during North West to North East storms. During a 1:50 year storm the near shore North West significant wave height inside the bay and along the said foreshore is approximately 1.5m to 2.00m high .On reflection against the foreshore the formation of standing waves reach 4m height and will over top the promenade where this is just 2.6m above mean sea level.
The resulting green seas besides being dangerous for life and limb could have devastating effect on the buildings along this front and the coastal structures could also be at risk.
Mathematical Wave studies have been conducted at Sogreah Consultants in Grenoble France in order to either establish the length of the replacement breakwater arm, or any other alternative structure required to break the waves at the same time allowing the necessary water changes, and circulation. The same consultants were also given the task to check the stability of a nourished beach along the southern littoral.
Scope of Works
The entrance to this bay faces North and therefore it is exposed to North West, North and North Easterly waves. The offshore waves are refracted near shore and enter the bay along its central axis making futile any attempts to stop them by means of a breakwater arm on either side of the Bay.
Conclusion of Studies
Several Optional Locations for breakwaters within Marsalforn Bay were tested for breaking waves from a 1:50 year storm before these reach the inner foreshore.
Renourished Beach
A renourished beach was also tested in its double capacity as a wave breaking structure as well as an improved amenity in the popular summer resort..
The proposed works would be carried out over the following timeline:
May to August 2012 Dredging and formation of groin consisting of gravel wrapped up in geogrid on the West side of the bay as well as the cill in front of the storm water canal.
May to August 2012 Supply of sand and placing by means of tipper trucks spreading out by long arm back hoe.
May to August 2013 Dredging and formation of submerged breakwater consisting of gravel wrapped up with geogrid.
The sequence shown above aims first to create a groin and a cill to the existing canal in order to protect the beach nourishment slope on the West and as an anti scouring measure at the storm water discharge point into the sea followed up by the filling of the slope at the required gradient. This will enable waves entering the bay to break on the said beach and to have their energy dissipated.
The second part is the formation of submerged breakwater.
Loss of Marine Habitat During Construction
Loss of habitat underneath the footprint of the submerged breakwater, groin and canal cill is unavoidable. From the existing aerial photos there is a good indication that in the area there is very limited posedonia. Once the proposed structures are in place they will provide extra crevices and holes in which marine habitats can thrive. The proposed construction can be considered as an artificial reef where species can prosper.”
For the full report and graphics please click here.
What about the area from the Police Station towards Arzella restaurant? Is this not a part of Marsalforn as well? In this space there is the boat harbour(Menqa) where the existing breakwater is completely awash with tons and tons of water flowinf in the boat harbour itself thus creating a very heavy swell to the detriment of boats moored therein. Have the experts in Grenoble been told that on severe storms all the restaurants in the Menqa area are flooded with sea water and after winter night storms they end up with huge quantities of sand shich had seeped through from under their doors.? Were the experts shown pictures of boats lying on their side after they had been toppled over by water flooding the area reserved for boats. The project as proposed may offer protection to the inner side of the bay but it will be completely ineffective to the east side of the bay and the existing menqa breakwater will not live too long to offer protection to the boats sheltering in there.
Hello brother,I agree with your comment about our beautiful Marsalforn”s summer
vagationing ,but in winter it get to be quite choppy,you have to go to the eastern side
of Gozo where you will find the beautiful Hondoq ir-Rummien”s bay ,you will be in a smoot sailing blue sea again!!!!!!!! .
@ EMMANUEL MAGRO
Emmanuel inti donnok iffissat ftit izzejjed F’Hondoq.
Hondoq sabieh imma fix-xitwa x’ser toqod taghmel thares lejn il-blat ?
@ peter
I think Emanuel has a right to voice his opinion about marsalforn and Hondoq.
I agree 100% with mr. magro. Yes Hondoq is nice in winter for that reason because people like to go to Hondoq just to be in a tranquil place watching the sea and the rocks!!
what do you want to look at semi finished flats that have popped up everywhere.
That is why there is so many objectors to the Hondoq project because people are fed up of developers telling hem of beautiful sustainable project and in the end all they end up with is more empty flats
In regards to Marsalforn I think it needs a proper breakwaer with two arms to break the waves and so that boats can be moored there safely even during winter. In regards to sand out of limestone I think it is a crazy idea. as it will be washed away especially with the big waves they get.
@ cikku l-poplu
Naqbel mieghek li irid isir break water fsahtu u mhux kif gie propost. Jien irrispondejt lil Mr. Emmanuel ghaliex mar out of subject. Is-sugget fuq din il-faccata titkellem fuq Marsalforn u mhux Hondoq.
@ Peter
Hondoq hemm hafna nies iffissati dwaru inkluz jien u l familja kollha tieghi.
Alla hares jittiehod minn taht idejna habib
@ cikku l-poplu
Nahseb mintix tifhem il-punt tieghi. Mela jien qieghed nghidlek li dan l-imbierek Hondoq ghandu jinbena?
Jiena li qieghed nghid u li hrigtu barra miss sugget. Ghawnekk f’din il-pagna qeghdin nitkellmu fuq il-bini tal-breakwater ta Marsalforn u mhux fuq Hondoq. U nerga intenni li naqbel mieghek li irid isir break water fsahtu u mhux kif gie propost Marsalforn.
I had suggested some 20 years ago to pump sand of the same quality from the middle of the bay to enlarge it from Paletta to Pierre’s Restaurant, some underwater boulders should be placed so as to protect the sand from being washed back out, this will protect the promenade from the first and maybe 2 storms, there may be necessary to pump sand every year though.
With regards the breakwater, I had suggested so that people building in the vicinity should excavate the rock in large boulders to be placed behind the then existing breakwater before actually being demolished and extended. In this manner us who have develoed in Marsalforn would have contributed something back to this lovely place.