Masterplan Beira 2035 is a program meant to overhaul the water management infrastructure for the city of

Beira, Mozambique Beira is the capital and largest city of Sofala Province, where the Pungwe River meets the Indian Ocean, in the central region of Mozambique. It is the fourth-largest city by population in Mozambique, after Maputo, Matola and Nampula. Beira had a ...

, with the intent of allowing for future urban development. The plan was created in partnership primarily between the city of Beira and the Dutch engineering and consultancy firm Witteveen+Bos. This perceived urban renewal is to help mitigate the effects of the increasing ferocity and frequency of environmental phenomena in the region, which has been heavily influenced by climate change.

Background

Beira is a coastal city that sits at a very low elevation, one that is only slightly above sea level. Due to this fact, as well as Mozambique's

vulnerability to climate change Climate change vulnerability (or climate vulnerability or climate risk vulnerability) is defined as the " propensity or predisposition to be adversely affected" by climate change. It can apply to humans but also to natural systems (ecosystems). H ...

, the city is becoming more susceptible to flooding and other water related issues. Furthermore, the city's coastal tide and sea overflow defenses, both natural and artificial, are failing. This has resulted in

Coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward ...

, leading to severe flooding, which has numerous impacts on the community, including disruptions in movement and accessibility, economic damages, environmental degradation, and health problems, such as increased cases of

Malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

and

Cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

. In order to combat these problems, Masterplan Beira 2035 designed a new urban drainage scheme and reinforced coastal defenses. In regards to stormwater and flooding alleviation, Beira plans on building deeper drainage channels, which will flow into a new 150 hectare

Retention basin A retention basin, sometimes called a wet pond, wet detention basin, or stormwater management pond (SWMP), is an artificial pond with vegetation around the perimeter and a permanent pool of water in its design. It is used to manage stormwater r ...

connected to the outer-lying wetlands and ocean. In order to address coastal defenses, the city aims to dredge the harbor, duo remove the increased sediment left by the higher sea level. The recovered sand from the

Dredging Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing da ...

process will be reused to reinforce natural coast protection areas. The built-up sand and debris has impeded large trade ships from accessing the crucial port, suppressing the city's economic potential. Additionally these projects will also help spur the tourism industry, as the retention basin will also serve as a lagoon while the sand removed will be used in part to create bigger beaches. In addition to these changes in infrastructure, the plan also aims to address current land use issues, especially in areas prone to flooding. Due to the city's population growth over the last couple years, and its future projections, Masterplan Beira 2035 plans on implementing changes to land ownership and development policies, in an attempt to stop settlements, which usually lack basic infrastructure, from being constructed in flood prone areas. This could minimize future relief costs as well as protect people's economic and transportation mobility. There seems to be little opposition to this plan, however, a major setback occurred in March 2019.

Cyclone Idai Intense Tropical Cyclone Idai () was one of the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect Africa and the Southern Hemisphere. The long-lived storm caused catastrophic damage, and a humanitarian crisis in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, lea ...

inflicted substantial damage to the city, destroying around 90% of the area. Furthermore, hundreds of people were killed, and thousands were displaced, resulting in additional problems with safe and sustainable housing. Beira plans to utilize the masterplan during and after the relief plan.

References

{{reflist Water management