The primary cause for turbid coastal waters in Kenting’s (墾丁) Nanwan (南灣) was heavy rain in July and August, the Kenting National Park Headquarters said today.
The remarks came after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Chen Ching-hui (陳菁徽) and Su Ching-chuan (蘇清泉) yesterday suggested that the sea condition was related to a solar panel project at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County.
The project caused vegetation loss, resulting in massive mud runoff and turbid seawater, the lawmakers said.
Photo courtesy of the Kenting National Park Headquarters
Divers and locals last month reported continued water turbidity and sediment inflow in Nanwan, with some areas presenting a “yin-yang sea” phenomenon — clear water adjacent to turbid water — with poor underwater visibility, raising fears that sediment coverage could cause coral bleaching.
Preliminary assessments indicated nearly 2m of rain fell in July and August, causing significant sediment runoff into the sea, Kenting National Park Headquarters said in a news release today.
Southwest waves further stirred up the water, making the waters off Nanwan murky, it said.
Similar conditions were observed along other coasts on the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島), showing that extreme weather and heavy rains significantly impacted coastal environments, it added.
However, the situation has been gradually improving this month, it said.
The headquarters said it has urged relevant units to improve vegetation coverage for potential soil and water conservation issues related to work around Nanwan, and notified the Pingtung County Government's soil and water conservation authority.
Monitoring efforts included multiple dives last month with experts, with the latest checks early this month showing most areas gradually regaining clarity, it said.
The headquarters pledged to continue monitoring the coastal and underwater environment to track changes and ecological recovery.
The solar power project utilizes land within the plant area that was cleared of Leucaena leucocephala trees to promote renewable energy, Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) said yesterday.
All construction is being carried out legally with soil and water conservation plans in place, including protective measures such as barriers and sediment ponds to prevent mud and sand from flowing out, the company said.
A diving team investigation commissioned on Aug. 21 showed that seawater turbidity and suspended solids were within standard limits, it said.
The “yin-yang sea” phenomenon was caused by typhoons and heavy rain, and was unrelated to the project, Taipower added.
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