Waterfront Developments and Public Space Abu Dhabi’s Eastern Mangroves as a Case Study

Abstract

Abu Dhabi’s recent coastal development in the Eastern Mangroves area involves the construction of a new bridge that will connect the main archipelago to newly urbanized islands. This bridge crosses over a major mangrove plantation resulting in a change in its geometry, surrounding water canals, and the marine environment. Over-the-sea bridges require construction and dredging activities that change existing environmental habitats and hydraulic flow. This article examines the changes in the waterfront and canal routes in the study area through satellite images and land use maps. Water flow was modeled by a two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic model, based on the Finite-Element Surface Water Modeling System (FESWMS), which simulated the changes in water circulation patterns after construction of the bridge. Our two-dimensional, hydrodynamic model indicated that the bridge’s construction would create stagnant conditions in the water downstream the bridge, potentially resulting in sediment aggradation, which would require continuous dredging of the canal in the future.

Keywords: Abu Dhabi, Eastern Mangroves, Eco-engineering, Ocean sprawl