Future sea level rise implications on development of Lazarus Island, Singapore Southern Islands

Abstract

The Southern Islands compose an urban planning area in the Central Region of Singapore and is made up of the islands of Kusu, Lazarus, Seringat, Tekukor, St. John, Sentosa and the Sister Islands. The islands had largely been expanded by land reclamation in the 1970s to create beaches and swimming lagoons. The new coastlines are armoured by large quarry stones. Other than Sentosa, the rest of the islands are undeveloped and remain as mainly weekend destinations. As part of the Singapore Tourism Board's plan to develop the Southern Islands beyond Sentosa, a second phase of land reclamation with sands imported from Indonesia was started in 2000 to link Seringat, Lazarus and Sentosa. The land reclamation took six years to complete and water, electricity, gas and telecommunication infrastructure were brought to the island from Sentosa. The entire project costs nearly S$300 million. The strengths and opportunities identified are the unspoilt natural environment, island ambience free from vehicular traffic and proximity to the mainland's central area. The waters of the southern islands have attractive corals and marine life and are popular diving spots. Beaches are of reasonable quality and topographic highs on some islands offer trekking possibilities. The main constraints to developing the islands are absence of road and poor navigational access to the islands. Over the years, there have been various suggestions on how Lazarus Island should be developed. Recent suggestions include turning the island into a getaway for the super rich or housing a casino. However, whatever development is planned for Lazarus must take into consideration its sustainability in the face of a future rising sea. Reclamation that took place in the 1970s was before concern about global warming. Consequently, the crest of sea walls and platform levels of reclaimed land are low and vulnerable to wave overtopping and inundation during extreme high tides. Inundation analyses using Geographic Information System carried out under A2 sea level rise scenario for Lazarus suggest that extra care must be taken in developing these islands to avoid future problems. © 2010 WIT Press.