Project context and challenge
New Kru Town is one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Monrovia, home to more than 75,000 people who mainly live from fishing and small trade. For years, the community has been losing land to the Atlantic Ocean. Satellite images show that the shoreline moved back by 40 to 75 metres in less than ten years, until the waves reached the edge of the D. Twe Memorial High School, the only public school in the area.
In response, the Government of Liberia secured funding from the Global Environment Facility to build a rock revetment along the shore, as part of a wider programme to make Monrovia’s coast more resilient to climate change. Construction was carried out by a young local team with little experience in coastal works, using unsorted rock and limited equipment. As a result, the structure did not meet international standards and its expected lifetime was short.
The Environmental Protection Agency, together with UNDP, asked CDR to provide technical assistance and capacity building during the final construction phase.
CDR’s approach and contribution
CDR sent a senior marine rock engineer and a hydraulic engineer to Monrovia. During several weeks on site, they trained the engineers, site managers and machine operators on the job, gave an on-site workshop and supported health and safety meetings. The aim was to transfer practical knowledge so that the local team could continue the works independently.
Since a full upgrade to international standards was not possible with the available means, CDR developed an improved design that could be built with the rock and equipment at hand. Under CDR’s guidance, the slope of the revetment was made gentler and properly finished, a crest was added to raise the protection level, and a roundhead was built at the northern end to prevent erosion behind the structure. A landward drainage trench was also designed to protect the structure against heavy rainfall.
In addition, CDR assessed the condition of the existing revetment and prepared a design that meets international standards, with drawings, specifications and recommendations for maintenance.
Result
The improvements significantly extend the lifetime of the New Kru Town Revetment and raise the level of protection for the community behind it, with more than 28,000 people benefiting directly. Just as important, the local engineers and operators gained practical skills in rock construction that they can apply to future coastal works.
The assessment and upgraded design give the Liberian authorities a clear path to bring the revetment fully up to standard.
