discharge treated sewage offshore and away from beaches
and coral reefs near the resorts. Instead sewage is still
discharged into groundwater via injection wells, resulting
in higher nutrient concentrations that seep into the ocean
at the shoreline, resulting in prolific algae growths stimulated by the nutrients. In turn the algae smother offshore
coral reefs and accumulate as drifts on the beaches that
require constant collection and disposal to maintain
Engineering on Coral Reefs with Emphasis on Pacific Reefs, Figure 3 Mitigating the effects of dredging and filling to construct
a reef runway and dock at Okat, Kosrae: (a) Okat supports the largest natural bay, seagrass beds, estuary, coral reefs and mangroves
in Kosrae. (b) The original construction plan proposed cutter-head dredging to generate and stockpile fill material for the dock and
airfield. However, the construction contractor was required to construct a free standing revetment around the perimeter of the
airfield and install filter cloth to block discharge of dredged materials outside the airfield. The changed revetment design spared
destruction of adjacent reefs and prevented undermining and failure of the airfield from strong wave-driven currents since its
completion in 1980.
396
ENGINEERING ON CORAL REEFS WITH EMPHASIS ON PACIFIC REEFS
and coral reefs near the resorts. Instead sewage is still
discharged into groundwater via injection wells, resulting
in higher nutrient concentrations that seep into the ocean
at the shoreline, resulting in prolific algae growths stimulated by the nutrients. In turn the algae smother offshore
coral reefs and accumulate as drifts on the beaches that
require constant collection and disposal to maintain
Engineering on Coral Reefs with Emphasis on Pacific Reefs, Figure 3 Mitigating the effects of dredging and filling to construct
a reef runway and dock at Okat, Kosrae: (a) Okat supports the largest natural bay, seagrass beds, estuary, coral reefs and mangroves
in Kosrae. (b) The original construction plan proposed cutter-head dredging to generate and stockpile fill material for the dock and
airfield. However, the construction contractor was required to construct a free standing revetment around the perimeter of the
airfield and install filter cloth to block discharge of dredged materials outside the airfield. The changed revetment design spared
destruction of adjacent reefs and prevented undermining and failure of the airfield from strong wave-driven currents since its
completion in 1980.
396
ENGINEERING ON CORAL REEFS WITH EMPHASIS ON PACIFIC REEFS