Cape Townians responded via social media platforms, to the annual beach lowering programme.
The City said in a statement, its annual Programme, scheduled for Tuesday, the 1st of October, is expected to help mitigate windblown sand issues along Fish Hoek, Muizenberg, Gordon’s Bay, and Bikini Beaches.
Beach lowering or re-profiling is important in maintaining ecological stability in highly altered coastal systems. This work is also important to ensure recreational users continue to enjoy the coastal environment, and that infrastructure remains free of sand as far as possible.
Renee Conradie, a resident of Cape Town, said ” I was wondering how environmentally friendly this is? Is this the best way to go? What does it do to sea life? What does it do with regards to soil erosion, currents, etc?”
Ulric Gordon (resident) said “don’t go too low, otherwise the whole beach will be underwater.”
Denise Thompson Schmidt (resident), said “Lagoon Beach and surrounds also needs this too.”
Alderman Eddie Andrews, City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, said ‘work is to commence in Fish Hoek, and if all goes as planned, all of the beaches should have been lowered by the end of November, when the team completes the project at Bikini Beach.
The team aims to have all these beaches lowered ahead of the festive season. These beaches will be mechanically lowered prior to the summer wind season to reduce windblown sand problems, and we plan to do this annually. Lowering of beach levels takes place annually and enables greater areas of the beach to be wet during high tides, therefore limiting the potential for wind-blown sand to inundate adjacent roads and infrastructure.”
Picture: Supplied