Estuary Processes and Managment - River Dynamics and Integrated River Management - page 539

water quality objectives and standards have been achieved through the proper functioning of the sedimentation
pond, the crushed brick field, the oyster shell field as well as the reed bed; ĸ a healthy wetland habitat
frequented by precious wild life has been established, including rare species such as lesser whistling
duck and pheasant-tailed jacana.
8.6.3.2 Long Valley Wetland Protection
In the 1990s the Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) of Hong Kong planned to build the Sheung
Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Fig. 8.84(a)). The 7.4 km long railway link is a key part of the Hong
Kong's transport network, providing a second rail connection across the Hong Kong—Mainland China
border into the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. The HK$7 billion project was originally conceived as
a fully-elevated rail extension, and involved a viaduct section that crosses the environmentally sensitive
Long Valley wetland (Fig. 8.84(b)). However this proposal was met with strong opposition from a number
of local environmental groups due to the possible ecological impact.
(a)
(b)
Fig. 8.84 (a) Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur line, Hong Kong (source: KCRC); (b) the original viaduct proposal
and the alternative tunnel scheme