China - Second Inland Waterways Project : Environmental impact assessment (Vol. 6 of 6)

4vFca (2jc'/fftvg Grade A Environmental Impact Assessment Certificate No.0224 ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE WATERWAY REGULATION PROJECT IN THE LOWER XIJIANG RIVER, GUANGDONG PROVINCE, P.R. CHINA (WORLD BANK LOAN PROJECT) SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE OF PEARL RIVER WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION November 1997  Head of Institute Wu Yadi (Senior engineer of environmental management) Deputy Head of Institute Li Xueling (Senior engineer of environmental science) Luo Shusong (Senior engineer of chemical engineering) Deputy Chief Engineer Wu Jianzhong (Senior engineer of chemistry) Technical Advisors Yan Lianhe (Professor of agriculture and hydrology) Lin Fangrong (Professor of chemistry) Wu Qianzhao (Senior engineer of environmental science) Technical Responsible Li Xueling Manager of Project Luo Chengping (Engineer of environmental assessment) Report Preparer Luo Chengping Wu Zhijun (Engineer of environmental assessment)  Table of Contents 1 Environmental Protection Targets 1.1 Environmental Protection Targets During Construction Stage 1.2 Environmental Protection Targets During Operation Stage 2 Environmental Protection Measures 2.1 During Design Stage 2.2 During Construction Stage 2.3 During Operation Stage 3 Environmental Monitoring Plan 3.1 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Standards 3.2 Environmental Monitoring Program for Construction Stage 3.3 Environmental Monitoring Plan during Operation Stage 3.4 Submission of Monitoring Results 4. Environmental Management Plan 4.1 Environmental Management Organizations, Duties and Operation Procedure 4.2 Environmental Management Training Program 4.3 Environmental Management during Construction Stage 4.4 Environmental Management for Operation Stage 5 Cost for Implementing Environmental Action Plan 5.1 Pollution Control 5.2 Shoreline Protection 5.3 Compensation for fishing loss 5.4 Compensation for Land Requisition 5.5 Personnel Training 5.6 Environmental Monitoring 5.7 Operation of environmental office 5.8 Total Cost  1 Environmental Protection Targets The environmental protection targets for the waterway regulation project are specified as follows, according to the construction properties of the waterway regulation project in the lower Xijiang river and the environmental impact assessment for the project, and the requirement for environmental assessment and environmental action plan by the World Bank. 1.1 Environmental Protection Targets During Construction Stage 1.1.1 Water Quality Suspended substances (SS) from the earth-rock works such as dredging, reefs blasting and spit-cutting in course of the waterway regulation would cause certain water quality pollution above or below the construction sites. Protection targets for water quality include 9 water intakes along Liansharong waterway and 4 water intakes in the lower Xijiang river. 1.1.2 Fishery Resources The engineering behaviors such as navigating of the construction ships, earth excavating and reef blasting would have temporary destructive effects on aquatic ecological environment, and change the distribution of fish communities. Damming would change the migratory path of fish communities, and the increase of SS would also have negative effects on fish living. The target would be to reduce the impact of construction activities on fishery resources, so that fishery resources could be restored in operation stage. 1.1.3 Acoustic Environment Noise sources include noise generating from the engines of construction ships, whistling, explosive sound from reef blasting and spit-cutting, and thunder from the operation of dredging machines and mixing machines, of which some are strong. Protection targets are the four densely populated towns of Guangli, Shakou, Rongqi and Lianhuashan on both shorelines of the waterway. 1.1.4 Others Vibration resulting from reefs blasting might cause damages to nearby constructions. Protection targets include levees along both banks, underwater cables and bridges, etc. 1.2 Environmental Protection Targets During Operation Stage 1.2.1 Water Quality After being widened and deepened, the waterway would be navigable for 3,000 dwt sea-  going vessels (Zhaoqing-Hutiaomen waterway) and 1,000 dwt vessels (Liansharong waterway) respectively. Compared with that before regulation, navigation capacity would be raised, and waterborne transportation flow might have apparent increase. Accordingly, more oil wastewater, sewage and garbage would be generated from ships. In course of the transportation of harmful or toxic chemicals and dangerous materials of inflammables and explosives, pollution accidents might happen due to improper management and unexpected causes. The above two factors, especially the former, would have constant negative effects on water quality. Protection targets are same with those as stated in Section 1.1.1. 1.2.1 Acoustic Environment Navigation capacity and waterborne transportation flow would be raised after the completion of waterway regulation project. Noise from the operation of ship engines and whistling would have some negative effects on acoustic environment along the shorelines of the waterway. Protection targets are same with those as stated in Section 1. 1.3. In order to protect the above environmental factors from suffering the negative effects, certain protection measures must be taken, and in addition, action plans for environmental monitoring and environmental management must be worked out so as to efficiently undertake environmental protection work.  2 Environmental Protection Measures In order to mitigate negative environment effects generating from the waterway regulation project in the lower Xijiang river, the project development must follow the specifications defined by the Environmental Management Regulations for Development Projects, so that both environmental protection facilities and the main project would be simultaneously designed, constructed and put into operation. 2.1 During Design Stage 2.1.1 Water Quality 2.1.1.1 Sensitive Protection Targets for Water Quality There exist 4 water plants along Zhaoqing-Hutiaomen waterway in the lower Xijiang river, and 9 water plants along Liansharong waterway. 2.1.1.2 The Regulation Scheme Favorable for Water Quality Protection The regulation of Lianshrong waterway would adopt the medium scheme, that is, 80m X 4.Om X 500m (width X depth X minimum curvature radius), since the scheme would not only make full use of tidal range for satisfying the requirement of re-silting, but also save the investment and reduce the dredging and reefs blasting volumes. With the decrease of dredging and reefs blasting volumes, that is, the decrease of SS source strength, SS amount would reduce accordingly, and water quality impact caused by SS would be lowered proportionally. 2.1.2 Fishery Resources 2.1.2.1 Protection Targets Protection targets include such rare and precious fish species as Acipenser sinensis Gray, Macrura reevesii (Richardson), Leucosome chinensis (Osbeck) and Auguillajaponica Temminck et Schlegel, etc. which migrate along the lower Xijiang river and Liansharong waterway. 2.1.2.2 Regulation Scheme Design Favorable for Fishery Resources Protection (I) Reefs blasting should be avoided as far as possible, because explosion in reefs blasting would be relatively strong and would threaten nearby fish. Therefore, it is suggested to remove the heavily weathered reefs by means of excavating mechanically. (2) For the sections where reefs blasting are necessary, it is best to conduct blasting in winter but not in the migratory season of fish (May to October).  2.1.3 Flood Level Rise and Flood Control 2.1.3.1 Protection Targets Flood protection levees along the waterway should be protected so as to ensure that the existing flood control standards would not be lowered after the regulation project. 2.1.3.2 Heightening and Reinforcing of the Existing Levees In accordance with the protection targets, the levees in the main sections with flood level rise (that is, at the upperstream of Dianshuizhoutou in the lower Xijiang river, and Lijiasha section in Liansharong waterway) should be heightened and reinforced, and bank protection facilities should be established. 2.1.4 Noise 2.1.4.1 Protection Targets Densely populated areas include Guangli town and Shakou town along the lower Xijiang river, and Lianhuashan town and Rongqi town along Liansharong waterway. 2.1.4.2 Establishment of Afforested Belts An afforested belt of 5 km long and 10 m wide should be established, mainly by planting trees, along the shorelines in each of the above 4 towns. This task would be fulfilled by local governments in combination with the town construction and environmental amenity. 2.2 During Construction Stage 2.2.1 Water Quality (1) To coordinate with water plants, and not to undertake construction works while taking water so as to mitigate the effects on water quality at the water intake. (2) During construction stage, water plants should store water timely in the intervals of construction. (3) Based on the simulation results of mathematical models, SS contents and diffusion ranges would be greater at rising tide than at falling tide. Therefore, it is best to conduct construction activities at falling tide. (4) Pollutants from construction ships would not be allowed to discharge at will, but should be collected and transferred onto the shores for treatment.  (5) Construction activities should be stopped when the concentration of SS exceeds controlling standard (about 2 hours). (6) Water quality monitoring for the water intakes and main sections with construction activities should be well conducted. 2.2.2 Fishery Resources (1) Numbers of reefs blasting should be reduced as far as possible so as to mitigate damages to fishery resources. (2) For the necessary reefs blasting, explosion techniques using small dose of explosives should be employed, and blasting should not be conducted during the fish migratory season (May to October). 2.2.3 Noise (I) Construction activities should be conducted far away from such sensitive points as residential areas. (2) Construction activities should be conducted in daytime (6:30-22:00). 2.2.4 Vibration from Blasting (I) Levees along both shores are the nearest constiuctions away from the source of reefs blasting. The explosion design should aim not to destroy the existing levee structure and not to affect the flood control standards, the utilization of explosives should be controlled, and the advanced techniques should be adopted. (2) Cross-river cables and bridges are also critical protection targets. 2.2.5 Other Environmental Protection Measures (I) In order to mitigate the impact on agricultural production and farmners' income, lands required by the construction should choose. the overflow land as far as possible. Rational compensation should be made for the land users. (2) In order to ensure the lower section of the waterway unobstructed and mitigate flood level rise during construction stage, the principle of "Constructing first at the lower section and then at the upper section, and combining dredging with regulating" should be strictly followed. (3) During construction stage, working hours should not be in the peak hours of navigation  and harbor operation. Navigation notice should be issued before the construction begin, so as not to influence waterborne transportation order and harbor operation. (4) Public health work should be well done at the construction sites so as to prevent prevailine of infectious and epidemic diseases. 2.3 During Operation Stage 2.3.1 Water Quality (1) In the near future, ship pollutants (including oil wastewater, sewage and garbage) should be collected and transferred to the shore to dispose, and oil separators should be gradually equipped when conditions are fine. In addition, management regulation to control ship pollution should be formulated, and some ships with heavy pollution must be abandoned. (2) Water quality monitoring to the water intakes and at the routine monitoring stations should be strengthened during operation stage. 2.3.2 Flood Level Rise and Flood Control (1) The existing levees along both shores should be reinforced so as to achieve appropriate flood control standards, and especially for Lijiasha section, bank protection engineering should start and complete at the same time with the dredging engineering. (2) In the sections with flood level rise observed after the regulation, the project development unit should heighten and reinforce the existing levees on the existing basis so as to counteract the effect of flood level rise. (3) Water level observation after regulation should be enhanced so as to well understand the actual effect of flood level rise, and the observation results should be conveyed in time to the Flood Control Command Center. 2.3.3 Fishery Resources The project development unit should coordinate with the fishery administrative department to perform multiplication work so as to restore fishery resources as soon as possible. 2.3.4 Ship Noise (1) Ships without holds or noise abatement facilities should be limited to put into operation. (2) It is suggested that, in order to mitigate ship noise impact, afforested belts with a total length of 20 km should be established along the shorelines in course of the town development in  four towns of Lianhuashan, Rongqi, Shakou and Guangli (each town with 5 km). 2.3.5 Scouring Effects on the Banks In the sections with spur dike groups, bank protection measures should be taken on the opposite bank of the dike. A total of 19,875 m bank protection works would be required for the lower Xijiang river and Liansharong waterway regulation project.  3 Environmental Monitoring Plan The factors which would impact the above environmental protection targets can be divided into two kinds: temporary factors and permanent factors. Temporary factors generate mainly during construction stage, such as dredging, reefs blasting, bends or spit cutting, and occupying part of arable lands, etc., and their impact on aquatic ecological environment and fishery resources, and land occupation along both shores would gradually diminish after the completion of construction works. For this kind of factors, environmental protection conscience and environmental management should be strengthened during construction stage, and effective and feasible pollution control measures should be taken. For the permanent factors, regular monitoring at the fixed stations needs to conduct so as to provide sound basis for environmental management. 3.1 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Standards Water quality and environmental noise etc. belong to long-term environmental protection targets. Monitoring items and standards should thoroughly follow the relevant state standards. Relevant state standards are listed in Tables I to 4. Table I Selection of Surface Water Quality Standards (GB3838-88) Items Class Class 2 Class 3 pH 6.5-8.5 Water temperature After surface water receives waste heat, 3 .C of water temperature increase at the mixing edge of the water body would be permissible; In summer, maximum water temperature does not allow to exceed 35 IC. Visible substances by There exist no apparent foams, oil films and miscellaneous materials, naked eyes etc. Colourity, degree(