The problem:
After Hurricane Wilma passed through Yucatan Peninsula in October 2005, the dune system of the barrier island at the community of Las Coloradas in Yucatán, México, that protects the facilities for salt production of Industria Salinera de Yucatán, was severely damaged in a 3 km stretch and totally destroyed in a length of 900 meters. It was essential to take immediate action to repair the dune system and control the incursion of the sea directly into the salt ponds.
The solution:
A protection based on geotextile tubes was implemented immediately to guarantee the separation of the salt ponds from the open sea and a dune vegetation program was implemented to restore the conditions prior to its deterioration after the hurricane event.
AxisIMA® Services:
Engineering, Environmental management, Construction management, Implementation of the annual system monitoring and maintenance program
Conclusions:
The implemented solution gave immediate results and made it possible to guarantee the necessary conditions to reestablish the salt production plant. Subsequently, the dune vegetation program has returned the natural conditions of the ecosystem destroyed by the passage of the hurricane. After the repair of the first 900 meters of the dune system, a stretch of 3 kms has been reinforced, which has allowed the system to have total stability for the last 15 years. Up to date, AxisIMA® carries out an annual monitoring program and the construction management of the different maintenance interventions in the coastal system along 5 km of barrier island in this location
