page_title: Golden Beach (Hong Kong)
section_title: Sand loss
hierarchical_section_title: Golden Beach (Hong Kong) / Environmental issues / Sand loss
caption_attribution_description: Golden Beach
context_page_description: Golden Beach is located at the 18.5 milestone of Castle Peak Road in So Kwun Wat, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is contiguous with the adjacent Cafeteria New Beach and Cafeteria Old Beach.
  Golden Beach is the largest public beach in Tuen Mun with a total area of 78,500 m² and a length of 545 metres. The water quality is usually classified as Grade 2. Tropical trees, like coconut, and flowers of various species are planted on both sides of a 480-metre long promenade running parallel to the beach. Refreshment kiosks, a hotel, and a shopping centre are located adjacent to the beach.
  Golden Beach is unique amongst the beaches of Hong Kong in that it has a volleyball court. The Hong Kong beach volleyball team occasionally practises on Golden Beach.
context_section_description: The beach suffers from serious loss of sand, and has shrunk significantly over the past two decades. The bases of several lookout towers, which were once set well back from the water line, are now exposed to the sea. In April 1999, the beach was replenished with about 7,900 square metres of sand.
  The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and Halcrow Group analysed aerial imagery taken from 2001 to 2008 and found that Golden Beach eroded by up to two metres per year, affecting its recreational value. The study found that the high rate of sand loss is driven by the fact that Golden Beach is situated oblique to the prevailing wave direction. This has caused sand to migrate north, in an anti-clockwise direction, such that the southern end of the beach has completely eroded.
  The LCSD had to close part of the beach in 2008 as the problem worsened. After Typhoon Hagupit hit Hong Kong, the LCSD hired the CEDD to conduct remedial works at Golden Beach, at a cost of HK$7.2 million. This included replenishment of sand, construction of gabion walls, and construction of groynes. These improvements were made from 2009 to 2011. Still, Golden Beach is smaller than its original size and length.
caption: A submerged lifeguard tower is visible at right, illustrating the sand loss problem.
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