Creating a sandy beach : a new experience for Malta

Abstract

It is finally a reality. The transformation of St George's Bay in St Julian's following sand replenishment is there for all to see. The process which has resulted in the makeover of this bay appears to be simple enough. Bags of sand were brought to the site and slit open and 7,000 tons of sand were spread across the bay to form an area of 4,000 square metres of sandy beach. However, what appears to be a fairly straightforward process belies many months, even years, of preparation. The main consideration in any sand replenishment project is that, once placed, the sand will remain in place. Wave action during storms is one factor which could result in sand loss. To avoid this, wave modelling of the beach was carried out to assess the likely impact. of storm action on the sand.