UPDATE: St Lucia estuary restoration underway

IN what has been termed the largest wetland rehabilitation project in Africa, work to remove the St Lucia estuary dredge spoil pile will soon commence.

Cyclone Engineering, the contractor appointed by iSimangaliso Wetland Park, is making good progress in establishing the site, with testing of the sand pumping expected to begin this month.

The first phase of the project will see the removal of 100 000m cubed of dredge spoil, with additional funding already secured for the second phase, once the first phase has been satisfactorily completed.

The operation will begin at the northern tip of the portion to be removed, and move southwards.

A slab has been laid at the Estuary Beach car park to accommodate the 17 tonne generator and other equipment.

The pumps and pipes for the sand pumping operation have been delivered and power lines will run from the main car park to the dredge spoil site.

Electricity is required to power the slurry pumps and the water cannon that will blast the sand into a slurry, which will then be pumped into the inter-tidal zone.

The pipes delivering the slurry to the sea will be laid on the beach but buried in areas where vehicles access the beach for boat launching.

According to iSimangaliso’s newsflash, the park authority and contractor are working together to assess water sourcing options, both from the sea and Mfolozi River, for the sand pumping operation.

The low estuary water levels, coupled with the upcoming dry winter months, mean using estuary water is a last resort.

iSimangaliso has warned of a probable closure of the Estuary Beach car park for the duration of the project, with only vehicles towing boats to have continued beach access.

For everybody else, the turning circle and car park at Ingwe Beach have been re-gravelled.