Two more kilometers of Bali’s shoreline are damaged by geological abrasion every year, and immediate action is needed to stop people from making it worse, say experts.
Abrasion, a form of erosion in which rocks are eroded by particles propelled another force, such as water, affects the beaches of almost every regency in Bali, especially those in the south, Walhi Bali Institute’s Ngurah Karyadi said.
“Bali has 430 kilometers of shoreline, but 86.5 kilometers are severely abraded and 51.5 kilometers experienced minor abrasion. This problem should be handled immediately,” Karyadi said.
The most severe abrasion rate is 50 meters per year, recorded at Gianyar regency’s Lebih beach.
Concrete barrier walls have been built to guard against huge waves, the main natural contributor to abrasion, in only a few areas, such as Sanur, Kuta, Nusa Dua, Tanah Lot, Candidasa and parts of Bali’s north coast, he said.
A Bali Public Works Agency reports shows more than 181 of 438 kilometers of Bali’s coastline have been affected by abrasion. Eighty kilometers have been restored.
Severe abrasion occurred on Padanggalak and Matahari Terbit beaches in Denpasar; Ketewel, Masceti and Purnama beaches in Gianyar; Tegal Besar, Negari, Jumpai and Pasinggahan beaches in Klungkung; Candidasa beach in Karangsem; Cupel, Baluk and Medewi beaches in Jembrana. Grogak beach in Buleleng recorded light abrasion.
In 1987, the agency reported that amount of coastline affected by abrasion had increased by 39.1 kilometers over the last 20 years, with an average annual increase of 1.95 kilometers.
Abrasion forced the relocation of 49 families and a cemetery from Cupel and Candikesuma beaches in Jembrana in 2007. In Candikesuma, a huge wave severely damaged local fishing boats and a fish market.
Abrasion has also threatened several sacred places, including Tanah Lot temple in Tabanan and Rambut Siwi temple in Jembrana.
“Destructive human activity and global warming both have increased the intensity of abrasion, as is evident from changes in the position of shoreline,” Karyadi said.
R. Suyarto from Udayana University’s Center for Environmental Management said that recent coastal area development ignored human activity as a sources of increased abrasion.
“Other human activities, such as cutting down mangrove trees and removing coral and sand also adds to abrasion,” he said.
Land reclamation projects on Serangan island are behind abrasion along Sanur beach in the direction of Lebih beach, while the extension of runways at Ngurah Rai airport has worsened abrasion in Kuta, he said.
Gianyar Regent Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati said a blueprint for coastal development is needed to address the problem.
“We need to tackle this problem in a comprehensive way, including making a blueprint for coastal development,” he said.
“Everyone who wants to build along coastline should refer to the blueprint. We need to ensure that tourism businesses comply with it,” he added.
