Reducing Environmental Impact of Aggregate Excavation in Small Tropic Pacific Islands

Excavating sands and gravel on land in combination with constructing reservoirs for storing fresh water is an ideal approach in atolls. Appropriate mining of gravel from the prograding gravel beach is acceptable. Digging reef rock close to the edge of the wide ocean reef flat without surface loose sediments on it or sand beach can be accepted. Excavating sand from some depths in lagoon is a scientific approach particularly important for urbanized atolls. However, selecting appropriate sites for mining sand other than at some depths in lagoon is suitable to rural islands without dense populations. These sites include up drift side of long groin on the reef flat, partly filled access channel-port, outlet of artificial channel and lagoon margin on the prograding coast.