Decision to remove reef is short-sighted Dr. Nalin Wickramanayake

In his comments Dr. Nalin Wickramanayake, Senior Lecturer of Civil and Coastal Engineering at the Open University of Sri Lanka said that the decision to remove the reef was quite a short-sighted solution. “All around the coast there are reefs of this nature.

They are not made of corals but of sandstone. They can be seen at the Colpetty beach and even in Uswetakeiyawa near the Kelani River. They are formed when sand is hardened by deposits of calcium carbonate. Several of these reefs could be found from the South to the North.

However some of them are found offshore as well and this particular reef in Dehiwela is a similar one.

It has corals growing on top of it as well and therefore people sometimes assume it to be a coral reef as well.

One important feature of this reef is that it allows waves to break at that point and once they reach the shore they have less energy.

If the same energy is exerted on the shore, then more sand will be washed away to the sea. Therefore this phenomenon is prevented by the reef. If the reef is removed the beach will take a different shape.

The second important point

If the reef is removed the beach will take a different shape

is that there is a huge gap in the reef in Mt. Lavinia. It is from here that boats move in and out. When such big gaps are made in a reef it will take sand from the shore to the sea which will never return. If another gap is made, there would be an erosion of a greater magnitude.

We must see how many fishermen are living there and how many of them are facing issues with the reef. They can always use the fishery harbours in Bolgoda or Mutuwal.”