Work at Salini (saltpans), one of the last remaining salt marshes on the Maltese islands, is currently ongoing in a bid to rehabilitate the canal known as the minor canal by the end of summer.

Eventually, the Salini operation should be re-established while reversing the current trend of general degradation of the site and provide a distinctive rural attraction for both locals and tourists.

Salini is protected by various legal mechanisms reflecting its ecological, ornithological and cultural importance. However driving or walking by the canal is not a pleasing experience for locals and tourists especially during the hot summer days and after weekends, when works would have been at a stand still. The nasty smell from CO2 gases that accumulate in the stagnant water and dry algae is disgusting, and one often has to hold their breath. Letters of complaints to newspapers have thus been forthcoming.

While this has somewhat improved in the past weeks as most of the algae has been collected and removed, the ultimate plan is to rehabilitate the area. The project on which the Resources and Rural Affairs ministry has embarked, aims at conserving and upgrading the area in a holistic manner to fully realize the site's considerable potential in terms of its natural and cultural assets. Once the rehabilitation process is concluded, a constant water flow should then be generated through the canal by water tides and currents from northeast winds.

Work on the area commenced in mid January, and has so far progressed as planned and should be concluded by mid September, explained Carmel Mifsud Borg, the director-general in charge of the project within the Ministry.

He explained that the concrete that served to support the road structure leading from Bahar ic- Caghaq to St Paul's Bay, which, incidentally, was built in the sixties, had blocked the waterway. Thus the concrete was removed, along with a huge amount of algae, while new concrete slabs were lined to strengthen the road and Salini walls. Good amounts of soil and dirt carried by rainwater from Burmarrad had also deposited at the minor canal, blocking the waterway further.

Fresh watercourses from the Burmarrad flood plate, Wied Ghajn Rihana and Wied il- Ghasel, which collects water form Chadwick Lakes and Mosta, end at Salini.

The canal is one of a few sources of brackish water, which was inhabited by the small native fish and Malta's national fish Aphanius Fasciatus, known as Buzaqq. Little is known however whether this fish still thrives there due to water pollution, which has suffocated native fauna and flora in the area since the sixties.

Some 3,000 cubic metres of dirt was removed by means of dredging works, while 80 pre-cast elements each weighing 5.5 tonnes were laid. By mid- September, five more concrete slabs are to be laid along with dredging works to clear the rest of the canal.

The project has so far cost e150,000 and the government is expected to spend some e60,000 more to complete the work.

The Ministry's works department has faced particular challenges, mostly to conserve flora and fauna in the area before dredging works could take place. However it managed to find a compromise with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) and agreed on a dredging system that was least damaging, Mr Mifsud Borg said. Workers thus removed and conserved the top 15-centimetre layer of silt. This is to be placed back in the canal potentially for seeds to flourish.

Meanwhile, work intended to rehabilitate the area and restore the water flow make up the second phase out of three.

The first phase, which comprised of a forestation project at Kennedy Grove was completed before dredging and cleansing work at the canal started. The saltpans should then be rehabilitated in the third phase of the project for which the government is seeking European Union assistance through the European Agriculture Rural Development Fund. The project will mainly include restoration and rehabilitation of the scheduled saltpans and existing sheds, the creation of an interpretation centre within the scheduled Ximenes Redoubt, which will also be restored, and various other interventions that will allow the public to enjoy the area while preventing further degradation.

The government plans to start the Salini operation afresh and set an agri-tourism project rolling.

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