Practical and Effective Environmental Monitoring with reference to Maintenance Dredging for the Port of Maputo, Mozambique

摘要

In this paper, practical and effective environmental monitoring is discussed in the context of the concept of a dredging continuum. Under the dredging continuum concept, the collection and evaluation of dredging information is not conducted in isolation, but forms part of a continuous, cyclical programme of information management throughout the dredging process. This concept is particularly relevant to regular and repeatable maintenance dredging. Accordingly, environmental monitoring should facilitate evaluation, verification, feedback and improvement of the environmental performance of maintenance dredging operation against dredging objectives. Many factors affect the practicality and efficacy of monitoring maintenance dredging; and many of these many factors need to be considered in a site-specific context to successfully monitor the environmental performance of maintenance dredging. In this paper, the factors affecting practical and effective environmental monitoring are discussed in the context of maintenance dredging of the approach channel to the Port of Maputo in Mozambique, and with particular reference to water quality issues.