Lebanon Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment - UNEP

LEBANONPOST-CONFLICT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTFindingsThe obvious direct impact of the oil spill was theenvironmental damage in the immediate vicinityof the Jiyeh power plant (due to sunken oil) andon the shoreline. However, given that the focusof UNEP’s investigation was to determine themedium- to long-term impact of the oil spill and tounderstand how much of the pollution had spreadbeyond those directly affected areas, observationswere made at a number of locations, concentratingon the residual contamination in areas at least200-400 m away from the immediate vicinity ofthe spill and impacted shoreline.Site descriptions and observations are providedin the table below; site numbers reflect the orderin which sites were visited.Table 30.Siten°Date(October)Description of the marine and coastal team’s sample locationsDepth(m)Site descriptions/Samples takenType ofsample taken1 10 8-10 Off the church of Damour. A thick black line of oil visible on the beach front.Visibility moderate. The bottom mostly rocky with small patches of sand. Few fish;maximum size of fish less than 15 cm.2 10 12-14 Slightly north of Damour. A thick black line of oil clearly visible on the beach front.Visibility moderate. The bottom mostly rocky with small patches of sand. Few fish;maximum size of fish less than 15 cm.3 10 20-24 South of Beirut, off a resort and the “Khald Garage Mechanic” workshop. A thickblack line of oil clearly visible on the beach front. Visibility moderate. The bottom amix of rocks and sand. Few fish and oysters seen; maximum size of fish less than15 cm.4 10 2-3 Off Lebanon Beach. A thick black line of oil clearly visible on the sandy/stonybeach front. Visibility moderate. The bottom a mix of rocks and sand. Few fish andoysters seen; maximum size of fish less than 15 cm.5 10 3-5 Off the airport and Ouzaii debris site, located on the sea front; material fromthe site was seen being dumped into the water. Visibility close to zero in theshallowest part, but increasing to low further out. The bottom consisted only ofsand. No fish seen.6 10 6-8 Off Mövenpick beach. A very thick black line of oil clearly visible on beach frontand surrounding cliffs. Visibility moderate. The bottom a mix of rocks and sand. Afew droplets of oil seen on the bottom. Moderate presence of fish; maximum sizeof fish less than 15 cm.Oysters andsedimentOysters andsedimentSedimentOysters andsedimentSedimentOysters andsediment7 11 (>45) Off the Ibrahim River outlet, in deep waters. Film of oil visible on the surface. Water8 11 3-8 Off Indevco. A black line of oil clearly visible on the beach front. Visibility moderate.The bottom a mix of rocks and sand. Low to moderate presence of fish; maximumsize of fish less than 15 cm.9 11 10 Off Bwar. A black line of oil clearly visible on the beach front. Visibility moderate.The bottom a mix of rocks and sand. Low to moderate presence of fish; maximumsize of fish less than 15 cm.10 11 10-25 Off Rabyeh Marine Hotel. Oil film seen on the surface and a black line of oil clearlyvisible on the beach front. Visibility moderate. The bottom a mix of rocks and sand.Low to moderate presence of fish; maximum size of fish less than 15 cm.Oysters andsedimentSediment andwaterOysters,sediment andwater11 11 (12) North of Marina Dbayeh. Oil film seen on the surface. Water12 11 (23) Facing the Marina Dbayeh in Jounieh bay. A black line of oil clearly visible on thenorthern beach front, but not further into the bay or on the southern beaches. Themarina itself clearly impacted: oil visible on the walls and on many of the shiphulls. Patches of free floating oil also seen in the marina.Water138 • United Nations Environment Programme • United Nations Environment Programme • United Nations Environment Programme •