CONTENTS

1.Introducti on

2. Wetland reclamati on

3.Methods of re cla m ati o n

4.Acti viti es o n re c l a i m e d l a n d

5.Environmental i m p a c t a n d
D a n ge rs
Wetlands
Wetlands are seasonal or permanent freshwater- or
saltwater-saturated dynamic ecosystems. Reclamation
restores degraded wetlands to their former hydrological
and ecological functions.
Wetland reclamation is the rehabilitation of degraded wetlands habitat,
reconstructing the
impacted habitat as closely as possible to its original condition with respect to
hydrological, ecological (vegetation,
habitats), and morphological (soil) components.
Intro

Land reclamation is the idea of getting new land. It is usually done in

coastal areas. Sometimes it is also done in areas like rivers and lakes.
Usually, there is a natural process which fills such areas with sand, dirt and
other materials. Land reclamation uses the same process, which is sped up.

Or

Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land

fill(not to be confused with a landfill), is the process of creating new land
from ocean, riverbeds, or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as
reclamation ground or land fill.
EXAMPLES

Palm Island in Dubai Kansai International Airport in Japan

Examples

Port of rotterdam in Netherlands

Wetland reclamation

Wetlands are altered by the removal of stream bank vegetation, dredging and
dredge-spoil disposal, ditching, intrusion of invasive species, and other
factors.

Wetland reclamation initially involves the stabilization of the

degraded area, characterizing soil and water quality, and
defining the inherent ecological features of the habitat.
Wetland reclamation activities require multidisciplinary expertise, including
hydrologists, ecologists,
geologists, engineers, etc.
A successful wetland reclamation project must define how wetlands work, if
the wetlands can be restored and created, and the best approaches to restore
and create the wetlands.

Elements common to wetland reclamation projects

are site-selection criteria, hydrologic analysis, water
source and quality, substrate augmentation and handling,
plant material selection and handling, buffer zone placement, and long-term
management.
Restoring lost or degraded wetlands is a valuable and
cost-effective way for society to enhance wetlands ecosystem services.
This includes reducing the risk to humans of
impacts from coastal storms and other extreme events,
improving food and water security, and increasing the
capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
M e t h o d s o f R e c l a m a ti o n
There are several methods of land reclamation, depending upon the type of fill material, foundation soil,
topography of the seabed, the availability of equipment, and allowable fine material for reclamation.

1.Dry Method

2.Direct Dumping

3.Rehandling from a Rehandling pit.

4.Hydraulic filling

5.Sand spreading 6.Pumping

inside the bunds

Dry m e t h o d

1. Suitable for filling material from land sources, especially rock, hill cut and clay fill.

2. Viscous slurry is created which would take much longer to become usable land.

3. Truck or conveyor belt is used to transport the fill material to extend the land towards the
sea.

4. This method works well for foreshore locations with underlying competent seabed soil.

5. Generally, this method usually results in a loose profile of fill with less density.
Direct D u m p i n g m e t h o d

1. A direct dumping method is used when the seabed is deep or the underlying seabed soil
is soft.

2. A bottom-opening barge usually carries fill material from the borrow source and
dumps it in the given location through the opening in the bottom.

3. This method is used not only for granular material but also for stiff clay and soft clay.

4. Bottom dumping alone cannot complete the reclamation because it can only operate up to 2
– 3 meters depth below sea level. The next level of fill has to be raised by hydraulic filling
or other means.
Re h a n d l i n g pit Meth od

1. The rehandling method involves transporting sand by barges and dumping the fill material
temporarily in the pit for storage which usually has its capacity in million cubic meters.

2. Rehandling pit locations are generally selected at natural depressions on a firm seabed or
created by dredging by analysing the pit slope stability.

3. One cutter suction hopper dredger dredges the sand at the borrow source and transports it
to the rehandling pit, while another stationary cutter suction dredger will operate at the
rehandling pit to fill the reclamation area.

4. The production rate of such reclamation is dependent upon the stationary cutter suction
dredgers and the number of barges used for transportation.
H ydraulic fi lling

1. The hydraulic filling method is suitable for granular and is used when filling is carried
out from an offshore source, either from a rehandling pit or from a dredger.

2. Hydraulic filling is not suitable when the seabed is too shallow or the seabed soil is too
soft. In that case, a sand spreading method is applied..

3. In the case of pumping from a dredger, the fill material is dredged from the borrow
source with its own dredger which is moved adjacent to the reclamation area and then
pumped through the discharge pipe.

4. Pumping is usually done with a mixture of fill material and water. The ratio of fill
material to water is adjusted according to the grain size of the fill material.
S a n d Spreading

1. Sand spreading is implemented when a shallow seabed is encountered or when the

seabed soil is too so and a rehandling pit is generally necessary.
2. The spreader is mounted on a small floating barge and sand is discharged through the
perforations provided along the last two to three sections of the discharge pipes with
water.
3. Sand spreading is not stationary and moving from one end to another is required, moving
the spreader is made it possible with a winch system and a heavy duty bulldozer.
4. Sand deposits using a sand spreading method usually results in a loose profile
A c ti v i ti e s o n R e c l a i m e d L a n d

1. Land reclamation aims at substantially increasing the amount of land that is available
for various suitable activities like living.

2. Reclaimed land, in some countries,now is home to one of their biggest Industrial Parks in
their country. ex:Japan

3. Reclaimed lands also serve as airports and ship ports .ex:Hongkong

4. Reclaimed lands also serve for recreational activities.

5. Connectivity has been increased by building bridges and roads on reclaimed land.
Environmental Impacts

Land reclamation may appear to bring benefits in the short term, but in the long term it can
cause ecological disaster.

1. The loss of wetlands from land reclamation can worsen drought.

2. land reclamation can mean the loss of biodiversity and fisheries.
3. land reclamation causes flooding and can have potentially disastrous
consequences..
4. land reclamation destroys natural landscapes.If it takes place too quickly,the nature
would not adapt to it.
5. It is also seen that the reclamation may impact the ground water regime near the coast
areas around the reclamation site and also that in the coast areas opposite the reclamation
area.
6. The SPM concentration near the bed was on average more than two times
higher during the dredging experiment.
Environmental Impacts

7. The quality of water in the lagoon was degraded. Turbidity levels in the
lagoon were slightly higher than the allowable limits for discharge to marine
environment set by the Law.

A detailed assessment of the Environmental impacts associated with different aspects, by

considering various factors, can be accessed through:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090447911000712