2. • BUILD ON THE EXPERIENCE GAINED IN MEDPARTNERSHIP
AND PROMOTE CONSIDERATION OF COASTAL AQUIFERS
ISSUES IN ICZM AND MARINE PROTECTION AS PART OF
UNEP, UNESCO AND GEF PROGRAMS
• PROMOTE THE SYSTEMATIC ASSESSEMENT OF COASTAL
AQUIFERS VULNERABILITY, AND TRANSLATE
VULNERABILITY INDICATIONS INTO ICZM PLANNING TOOLS
• THE CONCEPT OF « COASTAL ZONE LAND AND WATER
RESOURCE USE CAPABILITY »
THE WAY AHEADTHE WAY AHEAD
3. The development of guidelines for the proper and prudent
management of a coastal zone depends upon adequate
knowledge of the nature and distribution of natural environments,
land and water capability, and man’s impact on the coastal zone.
These aspects are captured by the
Resource Capability Units
Development, exploitation, and
industrialization practices should be
compatible with the natural limitations
imposed on the region by its physical,
chemical, and biologic setting. This is
particularly true in coastal areas, where
regional climatic, biologic and physical
processes variations along the coast
preclude a rigid coast-wide system of
management.
Two important
statements:
4. Gulf of Texas - ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY MAP
identifying Resource Capability Units
5. In this example,
the Environmental
Geology Map
identifies geo-
morphologic land
and water units,
habitats, and areas
where active
processes prevail
These
subdivisions of
the coastal area
correspond to
Natural
Resources
Capability Units
or Land and
Water Use
Capability Units
7. Evaluation of Natural Resources CapabilityEvaluation of Natural Resources Capability
depends upon the types of human activities thatdepends upon the types of human activities that
result in use of the units – currently orresult in use of the units – currently or
potentially.potentially.
Natural Resource Capability Units displayNatural Resource Capability Units display
different capability and tolerance under thedifferent capability and tolerance under the
impact of human activitiesimpact of human activities
8. Example:
A highly permeable sand formation is very poor
host for a solid waste disposal site simply because
of its capability of transmitting wastes into aquifer
systems, but the same permeable sand provides
an excellent foundation for coastal structures.
In turn relatively
impermeable clay
unit provides secure
host for solid waste
disposal without
aquifer pollution but
is very
unsatisfactory
foundation material.
9. This table presents the
Resources Capability Units
Vs Human Current or
Potential Activities and
provides guidance for
administrators
It is an invaluable
instrument for land use
planning in coastal areas,
fragile and vulnerable to
human and climatic
impacts.
Relevance for coastal
aquifer management and
protection is not however
fully reflected
10. By adding consideration of the Comprehensive
Vulnerability of Coastal Aquifers we can fill this gap, and
allow of the full characterization of Resources Use
Capability along coastal regions and in SIDS.
