Geo-textile tubes to help restore Goa Candolim beach

In an attempt to prevent further erosion of the Candolim beach and help restore it, the Water Resources Department of the Goa government has begun laying geo-textile tubes as barricades to prevent waves from directly hitting the shore.

Goa Beach

Disclosing this to 'The Navhind Times' Mr Pramod Badami, the executive engineer in-charge of anti-sea erosion measures of the WRD, further said that ever since the River Princess, the ill-fated vessel, ran aground way back in the year 2000, the Candolim beach was being eroded by 10-15 metres every year, besides the shore has also been washed away.

Concerned over the "massive" erosion and washing away of the shore, the WRD sought the help of Pune-based Central Water and Power Research Station, a wing of the central water commission, to combat the erosion and restore the beach and the shore.

Mr Badami further said that between the shore and the River Princess a sand bar has been formed which has been stopping flow of sand (circulation) from one end of the beach between Calangute and Candolim. He disclosed that the central government agency has directed that the sand bar formed between the ship and the beach be opened so that sand movement starts again and the beach is restored properly by change of tidal current pattern. The sand is being removed and placed on the beach and thereafter levelled and this will serve as a nourishment for it.

Accordingly, the WRD has taken soft measures wherein geo-textile tubes measuring 20 metres in length and three metres in width are being placed along the beach. These tubes help break the waves and the sand particles get accumulated behind the tubes and help in formation of the beach, he said. Accordingly, heavy machinery is being used to carry out the work.

He also said that another layer of tubes, called the scour tubes, has also been placed along the beach and these tubes also facilitate formation of beach.

The work has been going on for the past several months and result was almost visible, he said adding that all the government agencies have approved the ongoing work. He went on to add that two rows of tubes have been placed towards landwards covering a distance of 1,100 metres towards Calangute and into sea at a length of 900 metres, following which beach of one and half metre in thickness and 35 metres in width has begun forming in the area.