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Devastation of East Adriatic Coast by silting (construction) |
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Written by Ogranak Crikvenica
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Utorak, 04 Prosinac 2007 |
EKO Kvarner- Dramalj
" Surplus of the construction material on some locations in town,
initiated the need for restoration and tiding up of the beach within
Dramalj, in front of Lanterna restaurant" - Technical specification
for the project 96-001
The above introduction to the technical specification for the project
of the beach restoration describes to state of mind in Croatia related
to the problem of silting on the Adriatic coast. Whenever the excess of
building scarp material needs to be deposited, usually the best drop
out area (the biggest as well as the closest) is Adriatic sea. Such
practise along the Croatian Adriatic coast is present for many years
and intensified recently. Nowadays wild drop out areas are appearing
everywhere along the coastal line and not long ago this practise
received a new hiding term " tiding up beaches", "building promenade
ways/paths", "fixing small boat ports/docks for the local population"
and other similar terms.
Not interfering policy of local communities and ignorance and lack of
authority of the state institutions leads to the situation where
several kilometres long silting projects are nowadays introduced in
local special /area planning documents without any shame or fear. Such
devastations are even declared as necessary development projects
justified by the needs for further tourist industry development.
Disregarding warnings of ecological NGO, ignoring professional opinions
of marine biology institutions as well as world wide recognised marine
biologists and finally statements of tourist industry research centres
are also ignored The former speaks in itself about state of mind of
municipal authorities arrogance as well as about powerlessness and
incapability of the state institutions to protect East Adriatic coast
as the most valuable part of the Republic of Croatia any maybe the most
valuable part of the whole North Mediterranean coast.
Why silting is pollution?
The most productive part of the coastal are is so called infralitoral
belt. Ifralitoral belt is part of the sea bed where the absorption of
sun light is minimum i.e the breakthrough of the sunlight is deepest.
Coastal shallow depth bottom areas constantly covered with sea water
are the most productive part of the benthos. Primary sources of the
live part in infralitoral belt are photophilic (marine)algae (on rocky
grounds) and marine floral ( on the muddy/sandy grounds). This is the
area where lot of sea organisms are fed, sheltered and reproduced.
Biodiversity within this communities is high and natural recovery of
these colonies after human devastation is very lenghtly if any at all.
By silting this infralitoral belt is being just destroyed.
Silting of the coastal line with only a few exceptions is done with
construction debris and surplus material which is generated as a by
product from demolished buildings, road building excavation and other
construction works. Besides destroying the shallow bed by direct
silting, destroyed area is considerably enlarging due to the spread of
the free floating fragments carried by the waves and currents. Such
free fragments are all over covering up specimens on the wide area. As
an example, observation from the scientific research project done on
the western coast of the Krk Island shows that the coast was covered
by heaps of excavation material forming a prev up to 6m depth. Enormous
sedimentation of silty particles covered the sea bed with soft and
sticky mud covering the former sandy bottom up to 250 m distance from
the shore.
Silting in the areas rich with fresh water is even more devastating due
to the importance of the low salinity water (brachish waters) for life
and development of certain rare marine species which are listed in
international documents and studies such as Mediterranean Action Plan
(MAP).
Particularity of the silting is that silting practically never ends.
Non protected beaches made from silting material are continuously
eroded by the sea and continuation of maintenance as such artificial
beaches is inevitable. The devastation practically never ends and
pollution is continuous and indefinite.
What are the reasons that silting is so "attractive"?
Uncontrolled development, in particular coastal area saturation
jeopardises tourism which is the main industry in the coastal areas.
Pressure to the coast line is increasing from day to day and solutions
are found in radical construction projects along the coast and islands.
Uncontrolled development brings up attempts of uncontrolled widening
of the coastal zones usually done by silting i.e damaging the sea.
The sad fact is that " improvement (tiding up) of bathing area" hides
real interest of the construction lobbies to get inexpensive dumping
areas and expensive construction projects on the coast line financed
from the poorly controlled state and/or municipal budgets.
Republic of Croatia 2004 declared "Regulation for the protection of the
coastal zone" in attempt to protect coastal area 70-100 m from the
shore line. The construction of buildings is practically forbidden in
this zone. If the shore line is displaced present area under protection
becomes very attractive propriety development area. Repositioning of
the shore line is a leading and mayor actual motive for silting.
The sad fact is that such positive regulation at the beginning is being
bypassed and in reality becomes a "Regulation for the devastation of
the coastal zone". Propriety development and construction did not stop.
On the contrary irreparable destruction of the most important and most
productive part of the sea bed is enabled.
Where the silting is happening or is planned?
Silting is going on or is planned practically along the whole Croatian
coast. Split, Crikvenica, Makarska, Podgora, Bol, Malinska, Rijeka,
Pag, Lošinj are just a few locations where silting is presently carried
out or further silting is being planned.
Recent special/area planning documents for the Crikvenica region are
maybe the best example of the "silting sickness" present along the
whole Croatian Adriatic. Silting/dumping is foreseen as a building
method for artificial beaches. The beaches are foreseen to penetrate
40-90 m into the sea and are planned in length of 3-4 km. This ecologic
catastrophe is initiated by the municipal authorities who are "tiding
up bathing places" and "building coastal promenade ways". The by
product of such projects is "development" of the dumping area for the
Rijeka –Žuta Lokva highway debris as well as enabling some very
attractive land properties to be converted into high profitable
construction sites. The price to be paid is destruction of valuable and
protected infralitoral sand and rocky sea bottoms.
Which legal documents are available?
Legal instruments include "Regulation for the protection of the coastal area",
" Strategy for the spatial development of the Republic of Croatia" and
"Declaration of environmental protection in Republic of Croatia".
Although the silting is mentioned on several places, the silting as a
construction method is not banned except in the case of construction of
marinas.
Such legal environment enables easy manipulation of the municipal which
due to there ignorance and lack of funding for there own activities are
becoming loyal business partners to the development/construction
lobbies. Negative public opinion shown through remarks, petitions and
protests is nothing more that just a folklore and is totally ignored by
the municipal and government authorities.
In view of the all above mentioned we would like to express our deep
disappointment with the treatment of the silting/dumping problem which
if not addressed will soon result in destruction and displace of one of
the last preserved natural coasts of North Mediterranean.
Dramalj 14.04.2007
In addition
Photos of the silting in Dramalj 1996
Photo of the silting in Crikvenica 2007
Photo of the areas foreseen for silting in Crikvenica region
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Last Updated ( Nedjelja, 09 Prosinac 2007 )
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Misao dana
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There are no translations available
JADRAN (JOŠ) NIJE MEKSIČKI ZALJEV
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