Environmental assessment of Kuwait Bay : present status and future options

Other Title(s)

التقييم البيئي لجون الكويت : الوضع الحالي و الخيارات المستقبلية

Dissertant

Bu Hamad, Nawwaf Ahmad Muhammad

Thesis advisor

al-Sammak, Amr Abd al-Aziz

University

Arabian Gulf University

Faculty

College of Graduate Studies

Department

Environmental Management

University Country

Bahrain

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2012

English Abstract

The need for evaluation of the current status of Kuwait’s coastal environment and related monitoring activities arises from the economic and geographical importance of Kuwait Bay, and the magnitude of its worth and value to the State.

The collection and analysis of environmental data through statistical methods to understand the environmental stresses in Kuwait Bay will serve to assess the current environmental status of the Bay.

With the above objective, this study has been conducted to recommend future actions that will help in preserving and maintaining a sustainable marine habitat in Kuwait Bay.

In light of the above-mentioned goal, this study will assess the environmental impacts on Kuwait Bay.

The assessment will be used to provide the indicators needed to enable feedback to decision makers on the environmental quality of the Kuwait Bay.

Seven environmental parameters were analyzed using statistical analyses program “STATISTICA”.

Range plots, Sun Rays Graph and Cluster Analysis were used to achieve a proper conclusion and to evaluate the need for any response actions.

Data for six KEPA monitoring stations were selected within the study area of Kuwait Bay.

These stations are Al-Mudera (Z1), Al-Doha (Z2), Ras Usheirig (Z3), Al-Shuwaikh (Z4), Ras Ajoza (Z5) and Ras Al-Ard (Z6).

The dissolved oxygen (DO) plays vital role in controlling the environmental events such as Fish kills (1999 and 2001) and the Meshref crisis (2009).

The middle region of the bay has the highest salinity levels comparing to the outer region.

Cluster analysis diagrams for parameters such as nutrient salts (nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and silicates) and Salinity follow almost the same patterns as DO.

In this case the parameters linkages suggest that the Kuwait Bay can be divided into three regions in terms of similarities of variations in water quality parameters.

These regions are: the Western, Middle and Eastern regions.

In general based on the statistical linkage analysis, it can be concluded that high levels of NO2, NO3, PO4 and SiO3 and the low levels of DO are highly correlated to severe environmental events which could lead to fish kill or any other degraded levels of water quality.

It is concluded that, there is a need to shift the urbanization away from the Bay and to improve the present monitoring program that KEPA is executing.

The revised program should include the sampling locations and numbers as well as the measured parameters and frequency of sampling.

Main Subjects

Natural & Life Sciences (Multidisciplinary)

Topics

• Environmental policy
• Kuwait
• Kuwait Bay

No. of Pages

136

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-421198