The Kuwait Environment Protection Society called for adherence to precautions that must be taken when spending time on beaches, foremost among them safety and security standards, especially in areas with a muddy character such as the open northern coasts of the State of Kuwait, as well as using the upper areas of the beach above the high tide mark for practicing sports activities, in order to preserve the habitats of animals that live in the lower areas of the beach or to avoid harming those who stand above their homes.
Janan Behzad, Secretary General of the Association, confirmed that she had documented, through observation and photography, in a scientific study the mudflats on the country's beaches, including their environmental characteristics and the necessary safety precautions and guidelines to preserve their habitats and natural features. She pointed out that "one of the most beautiful aspects that highlights the beauty and splendor of these beaches is the phenomenon of tides, which reveals the different types of beaches in the country and are considered among the most productive habitats in the State of Kuwait. They contain many different habitats that support a rich and diverse marine life for many marine organisms, and they also provide important nurseries for many economically important animals, such as fish and shrimp, and are a major source of food.".
Behzad explained that “the mudflats located within Kuwait Bay are characterized by a gentle slope and deposits of mud and silt because they are a semi-enclosed area and receive water at high tide. Organic matter is abundant between the grains of their sediments, and the stillness of the water and the absence of spaces between the fine grains have resulted in a lack of rapid oxygen exchange in their sediments. They are characterized by a black or gray color and mud with a hydrogen sulfide odor.” She added, “Beyond the mudflats, at a distance of no more than tens of meters, salt flats and salt deposits spread across the surface of the land and extend to the opposite area, which is classified as a desert region. All these areas are saturated with water and are therefore humid and unsuitable for walking or driving over them.”.
She urged people to “pay attention to designated swimming areas, avoid areas where swimming is prohibited due to pollution or the presence of unsafe whirlpools, and certainly avoid walking or driving in unpaved or undesignated areas. The danger of mudflats lies in their wet nature, which encourages diving. Also, check the tide times before going to the beach, as the water covers the mudflats quickly during high tide, making it impossible to escape if you are not a good swimmer. Contact the designated emergency numbers as soon as possible and be careful not to act on your own in situations you do not know, especially if you see a drowning person or find strange objects on the beach.”.
She explained that “the areas bordered by the high tide line and the low tide line are home to common animal life, and are divided into sandy, rocky, muddy, and mixed zones, each of which is further subdivided into high tide, mid-tide, and low tide zones. The diversity and abundance of these organisms is always greatest in the low tide zone, followed by the mid-tide zone, and the lowest of all is the high tide zone. Rocky areas harbor more diversity than sandy and muddy areas,” noting that “tides are two natural phenomena that occur in the waters of the sea and oceans according to the combined effects of the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun and the Earth’s rotation around its axis.”.
Behzad stated that “the tide is a gradual, temporary rise in the sea water. The highest tide, or high tide, is one of the two extremes of the well-known tidal phenomenon. It refers to the period of time when the sea water covers the adjacent coastal areas if they are flat, or rises to their sides if they are in the form of cliffs. At its highest level, it is called the high tide, and in the Kuwaiti dialect, it is called “the tide is high.” It is said that the water is high when the tide is high. The land that was covered by the water at the time of low tide (the low tide: in the colloquial dialect) and the period in which the tide appears is six hours followed by another six hours of low tide, and two high tides and two low tides occur within 24 hours.”.
Regarding what distinguishes the northern beaches of Kuwait Bay, the Secretary-General of the Environment Society said, “Their dark colors are due to the abundance of mud, while the southern beaches are predominantly light or white. The composition of the beach varies according to location and the type of sediment. Sea waves and their movement also affect its type and morphology. Therefore, the mudflats, or what are called mud flats, are located in areas protected from waves and are characterized by the softness of their layers. The size of the sediment grains varies from silt to a mixture of silt and sand. Their layers remain relatively stable due to the lack of wave impact, which is why marine life prefers them to sandy beaches exposed to the waves.”.
