THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT, A REALITY OR JUST A DREAM

A Scoping Report (SR) has recently been presented, inter alia, to the Municipality of Henties Bay for study purposes.  The SR endeavours to state the design considerations and requirements for the marine work, being the breakwater and associated slipway proposed.  The Scoping Study (SS), hence focuses on the marine section only and relates to a rubble-mound breakwater (mole), the slipway and concrete charter launch mooring jetty and addresses the impact on the surroundings.

Where the proposed breakwater and associated facilities is envisaged, is located at one of the old mouths of the Omaruru River delta in Henties Bay.  The Omaruru River delta was a collection of old water courses which extended along the coast for about 15km.  It is understood that the primary mouth of the Omaruru River was diverted to the North when Henties Bay came into being and that the old mouth that formed the central area in the town is currently a wetland with a varying relative shallow water table and only occasional seepage into the ocean.  The present town of Henties Bay has this as its focal point.  This area lies in a depression between two permanent dunes.

The intention of the waterfront development is to provide a link between the coastline and the commercial heart of Henties Bay.  Access to the sea via a slipway / small craft harbor is seen as the key resource to enable an increase in tourism and promote the town not only as a fisherman’s paradise, but also as a family resort.

Marine construction is expensive.  The main determining factors that influence the cost of the breakwater and slipway are the following:

·         The length of the breakwater and termination depth.

·         The crest level and width, which will determine the footprint and the direct quantities per meter of the breakwater.

·         The rock sizes and availability thereof, transport distances and the production from local quarries.  Concrete armour units could be necessary.

·         The availability of marine plant to construct the breakwater, and the mobilization and demobilization thereof.

·         Lastly, the allowable downtime will influence the factors mentioned above.

The supply and placing of various rock layers and the construction of the concrete capping, access road and slipway, is estimated at approximately N$ 29 million.  The capital cost is highly dependent on the rate of core and armour rock.

The stakeholders and roleplayers in the development of the waterfront will now convene a meeting to discuss the way forward.  Once the instruction is given to proceed with regard to the preliminary design, the work can commence.  The earliest construction start will be the summer of 2010, which implies the availability of a full year for studies and design works.  Construction is expected to take place between 12 and 18 months and once again reliant on the availability and production of rock from quarries.