Re-survey of Bikenibeu beach profiles, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati

RE-SURVEY OF BIKENIBEU BEACH PROFILES
TARAWA, REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI
30 April 1998
Phil
Woodward
SOPAC Secretariat
July 1998
SOPAC Preliminary Report
Prepared for the Republic of Kiribati with
Support from the Government of Australia
94
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
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3
3
3
PERSONNEL INVOLVED ...................................................................................................................... 3
RESULTS
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RECOMMENDATION
REFERENCES
SCHEDULE
APPENDIX
3
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4
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4
1 (BEACH PROFILE DATA)......................................................................................... 5
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SUMMARY
In April 1998 a re-survey of the ten beach profiles around Bikenibeu was carried outat the
request of the Government of Kiribati as part of the 1998 approved Coastal Unit work program
item 3.6: Climate change and Coastal Erosion studies.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Funds to permit Phil Woodward to travel were provided by the Australian Government.
INTRODUCTION
In January 1995, an in-country beach monitoring seminar was held at the Otintaii Hotel for
representatives of various departments in Kiribati concerned with the coastline. Ten beach
profiles were established along the lagoon and ocean side of the Bikenibeu area. At that
seminar a general recommendation that SOPAC continue to assist the Government of Kiribati
with monitoring was made.
PERSONNEL INVOLVED
Phillip Woodward
Marilyn Woodward
Romano Reo
Naomi Atauea
SOPAC, Cartographer
Accompanying spouse, Field Assistant.
Lands and Survey Division
Natural Resources Division
RESULTS
Data collected from the ten profiles are presented in Appendix 1, along with comparison graphs
with the initial data of January 1995 and data collected by Ministry of Natural Resources
Development in December 1995, June 1996 and December 7996 and location map.
Profile BLP 37: Northwest corner Otintaai Hotel. There is no significant change to the profile in
all five data sets.
Profile BLP 38: UT 216. The KI benchmark is in a more eroded condition and could be lost if no
maintenance takes place. The June 1996 data set appears to have a VD miscalculation and the
November 1995 VD reading has been used for the 0 horizontal reading. There is no significant
change to the profile in the other data sets.
Profile BLP 39: AMAK Compound. Visually there was evidence of considerable change to the
beach face. The January 1995 data set being the first recorded and the latest of April 1998
show significant change. The other three data sets all lie between.
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Profile BLP 40: Marist Brothers seawall. All five data sets show significant change to the beach
face. Land has been reclaimed and a moderately high seawall constructed to the right (looking
lagoon wards). The seawalls to each side of the beach have formed a chute.
Profile BLP 41: Tamakai's Housing area. The January 1995 data set being the first recorded
and the latest of April I998 show significant change. The other two data sets lie between.
Profile BLP 42: Makenzie Point. There is significant change in the profiles between January
1995 and December 1996. The April 1998 data set lies between the high and the low
suggesting some return similar to November 1995 and more than June 1996.
Profile BLP 43: House B2u apposite Golden Snake Bar. This profile is the same as BLP 42
with January 1995 and December 1996 being the extremes.
Profile BLP 44: EBS Compound fence. Four of the data sets are similar. The lowest being
December 1996. The high at 6m horizontal of the April 1998 data set is over a pile of garden
refuse and rubbish recently deposited.
Profile BLP 45: KGV/EBS compound. There appears to be significant change between the five
data sets. The large seawall which was under construction in January 1995 has undergone
several repair jobs and is missing the tor, rows of cemented blocks in several places in April
1998. There are signs of overtopping and scouring behind the wall. The school block it was
protecting is now no longer used, is in disrepair and outside the compound fence.
Profile BLP 46: Old Central hospital. A small seawall has been constructed at 12m horizontal
distance from the VD. The January 1995 and April 1998 data sets are similar. The June 1996
data set appears to be unusually high.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the profiles continue to be monitored and the base stations maintained.
SOPAC continues to encourage the monitoring of the beach profiles and will assist the
Government of Kiribati as requested.
REFERENCES
SOPAC Preliminary Report 77: Howorth, R., Woodward, P. 1995 Kiribati in country seminar on
beach monitoring.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday 28th April
Wednesday 29th April
Thursday30th April
Friday 1st May
Saturday2nd May
Sunday 3rd May
Monday 4th May
Arrive from Nauru
Visit Naomi
Profiles
Naomi - more data
Work on report/data
Flight cancelled for 24 hours
Fly to Funafuti
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APPENDIX 1 (Beach Profile Data)
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