Name :

Date : 12th November 2019

Candidate Number :

School :

Title: To investigate the Environmental impacts of tourism at William’s

and Macqueripe Bay, Chaguaramas, Trinidad.
TABLEOFCONTENTS

PURPOSE OF STUDY 1
METHODALOGY 2
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 6
CONCLUSION 13
RECOMMENDATIONS 13
BIBLIOGRAPHY 14
APPENDIX 15
 Purpose of Study

“The jewel of Trinidad”, as it was referred to by the CDA (Chaguaramas Development

Authority). Today, Chaguaramas is one of, if not the biggest tourist attraction in Trinidad.
With the construction of Five Islands Amusement Park and Skallywag Bay Adventure
Park, as well as being home to waterfalls, Williams and Macqueripe Bay, luxury hotels, a
golf course and a local favourite, tours of Gasparee Caves, it is easy to see why many
tourists come to Chaguaramas. Due to its tourist appeal, Chaguaramas was chosen for the
area of study as they would receive many tourists year round. The aim of this study is to
investigate the environmental impact of Tourism at both Williams and Macqueripe Bay,
Chaguaramas.
 Methodology
All data were collected on the 12 th November 2019 at CDA and both Williams Bay
and Macqueripe Bay. Primary Sources of Data were collected by conducting various
tests. At each site various tests were carried out to examine the impact of tourism on
the environment, see figure 1 for test, methods and apparatus.

Figure 1. Table showing the tests conducted at two study sites.

Test Conducted Description Method

1. Temperature A thermometer was placed

into both Williams and
Macqueripe Bay to obtain
the temperature of their
water for the purpose of
relating it to dissolved
oxygen.
 Test Conducted Description
2. Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved oxygen is a
necessity to aquatic
organisms. They use this
oxygen for respiration.
When dissolved, the
oxygen diffuses very
slowly, and depending on
the movement of the
aerated water rate of
distribution will vary.
Dissolved oxygen level of
under 3ppm is stressful on
the organisms and a ppm
level of below 2 or 1 will
not support life. This test
measures the quantity of
dissolved oxygen used by
bacteria as they break
down organic wastes.
Method
1. Temperatures were
tested at each site using
the thermometer.
2. Small test tubes were
filled until overflowing
with water sample.
3. 2 dissolved oxygen
Testabs were then
added into the tube.
4. Tube was then closed
with a cap ensuring no
air bubbles in the
sample.
5. Samples was mixed by
inverting until the
tablet had
disintegrated.
6. Waited 5 minutes and
compared the colour of
the sample to the chart.
Test Conducted Description
3. Turbidity The measure of clarity of
water is known as
Turbidity. Turbidity and
colour of water are not the
same thing. Darkly
coloured water can still be
clear. Turbidity is caused
by suspended colloidal
matter such as clay, silt,
organic and inorganic
matter and
microorganisms. A main
cause of turbid water soil
erosion.
Test Conducted Description
4. pH PH is a measurement of
hydrogen ions in a water
sample. The pH scale
ranges from 0-14, where
0-6 is acidic, 8-14 is
alkaline and 7 is neutral.
A pH of 6.5-8.2 is optimal
for organisms. Most
natural waters have pH of
5-8.6. Sea water usually
has a pH close to 8.
Method
1. Fill the turbidity tube
(0836) to the line.
2. Place the base of the
tube on the outline on
the Turbidity Chart
(5887-CC)
3. Look down through the
sample water at the
Secchi Disk icon under
the tube.
4. Compare appearance of
the secchi disk icon
under the tube to the
gray seechi disks on
either side of the tube to
determine the turbidity
in JTU
Method
1. Fill the test tube
(0106) to the 10ml line.
2.Add on pH Wide Range
TesTab (6459)
3.Cap the tube and mix
until the tablet has
disintegrated.
4.Compare the colour of
the sample to the pH
Colour Chart (5890-
CC).
5.Record the result as pH.
5. Coliform Bacteria The Coliform Bacteria 1. Fill the tube to 10mL
Test detects all coliform line.
bacteria strains and many
2. Replace cap
indicate fecal
contamination. Fecal 3. Stand the tube upright
Coliform is natural with tablet (4880) flat
bacteria found in the on the bottom of the
digestive tract, but is rare tube.
in unpolluted waters. It
4. Include the tube upright
should never be present in
at room temperature,
potable water. Their
for 48 hours. Store out
presence is reliable
of direct sunlight.
indication of sewage or
faecal matter. 5. Compare the contents
of the tube to the
Coliform Bacteria
Colour Chart (5880-
CC).

Primary data was also collected using:

Interviews
The CDA (Chaguaramas Development Authority) as well as the locals, business owners
and tourists were interviewed using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires (see
appendix 1) to gain knowledge and perspectives on the area. The CDA provided history
and insight on the attractions at Chaguaramas. The locals and tourists also gave useful
information on the experience they had in the area pertaining to pollution and tourism.
Observations
While visiting both bays, observations were made and many pictures of the study areas
were taken for reference purposes. These pictures will be seen in the Presentation /
Analysis of Data.

Secondary Sources of Data was collected with the aid of textbooks and the internet as
researching apparatus.
 Presentation and Analysis of Data
Introduction

In this section of the study, different representations of data and information will be
portrayed from both Macqueripe Bay and Williams Bay.

These include maps, charts, graphs and tables. There are also semi-structured interviews
and questionnaires designed towards both tourists and business owners at the study areas
that will be used as reference to the analysis of data.
Map of Trinidad showing the study areas of Williams Bay and Macqueripe Bay,
Chaguaramas.

Scale: 1cm = 20km

Macqueripe Bay
Williams Bay

Main Road / Highway

District Border

Forest
 Williams Bay Macqueripe Bay

Temperature 310C 28.50C

Dissolved Oxygen 0-2 ppm 2-4 ppm

Turbidity 30JTU 10 JTU

Coliform Bacteria Positive Positive

pH 8 9

Figure 2. Table 1 showing Results at both Macqueripe Bay and Williams Bay.

Temperature / Dissolved Oxygen

The temperature was found to be 31 oC at Williams Bay and 28.8oC at Macqueripe Bay.
This can be due to a number of factors present.

Firstly, Williams Bay is very open and expansive. It therefore receives more of sunlight
diurnally while Macqueripe Bay is more sheltered and secluded receiving less.

Secondly, in the ocean, solar energy is reflected in the upper surface or rapidly absorbed
with depth. Therefore, the shallower the water the more sunlight there is. Williams Bay is
gently sloping and shallow. Due to this the water is warm. On the contrary, Macqueripe
Bay has a sharp drop and is a deeper bay. Therefore there is less sunlight reaching the
bottom reducing the temperature.

Lastly, it was observed that there were ships and boats at Williams Bay. Dumping of
chemicals mixing with the ocean can affect the specific heat capacity of the water causing
it to absorb heat easier. At Macqueripe Bay there were no signs of chemical dumping by
industries or boats. Therefore there was not a change in the rate of absorption of heat.
 Ships docking at Williams Bay
Dissolved oxygen is a measure of how much oxygen is dissolved in the water. Depending
on the amount of dissolved oxygen, the quality of the water can be inferred. It is mainly
affected by temperature as well as salinity and pressure changes. High temperatures, high
salinity and lower pressure levels decrease dissolved oxygen levels. The solubility of
oxygen decreases as temperature increases. The value of Dissolved Oxygen at Williams
Bay was 0-2 ppm. This is expected due to the pollution at the bay. There were no signs of
aquatic life, or birds diving for fish in the water. Most likely the ships are the main reason
for the pollution. Visitors also claimed during the interviews that people throw waste into
the water.

Photograph 1: Showing litter At Williams Bay.

All these factors add to the low ppm of the bay. At Macquripe Bay there were fishes
present. Due to no ships there wasn’t any chemical dumping or pollution at the bay. One of
the visitors said that frequent maintenance of the facility kept the area clean. These factors
gave a value of 2-4 ppm. A higher dissolved oxygen level allows aquatic organisms to
thrive and reproduce.
Photograph 2 & 3: Showing Temperature Taken At Williams Bay &
Macqueripe Bay Respectively.

Turbidity

Turbidity is the quality of being cloudy, opaque, or thick with suspended matter. Turbidity
is affected by sediments, water flow, algae and land use. Williams Bay being affected by
pollution by the dumping of chemicals and garbage being thrown into the sea scored a
higher turbidity reading at 30 JTU. This results in the water not being crystal clear
(transparent) but instead slightly translucent. Macqueripe Bay is significantly clearer than
Williams Bay scoring a phenomenal 0-10 JTU in the turbidity test.
Evident as there is very little to no pollution at the Bay. Sediments can clog gills and kill
fishes. Also when algae die, oxygen is used to decompose them reducing the dissolved
oxygen for the fishes.

Picture 4: Showing Turbidity Test Results At Macqueripe.

pH

Figure 3. Showing the pH readings.

A value given to a solution based on its alkalinity or acidity from 1-14 is known as the pH.
Oceans pH values vary depending mainly on absorbed CO 2. This lowers pH, becoming
more acidic. Macqueripe Bay has a pH of 9 and Williams Bay has a pH of 8. Williams Bay
may have a lower pH due to the ships dumping chemicals altering pH. The Carbon in the
fuel may affect the ocean as well. Also, Macqueripe Bay may have a higher pH as visitors
tend to use the bathroom services at the beach to bathe after. The soaps they use may run
off back into the bay making it alkaline.

On the Chart Williams Bay’s water had a slight green tinge to it while Macqueripe Bay’s
water was gray. Acidic oceans dissolve the shells of some animals. Coral reefs would be
affected especially as they need specific pH to grow.

Phot
ograph 5 : Macqueripe Bay(left) & Williams Bay(right) Showing pH
level.
Coliform Bacteria

These are a type of anaerobic bacterium that if present in water shows recent presence of
sewage of fecal contamination. They are naturally occurring in intestines of animals. At
both bays there was evidence of coliform bacteria. However, Williams Bay seemed to
have more of it as the indicator was dirty brown vs Macqueripe Bay which seemed to be
reddish-brown. At Williams Bay ships dumping on board waste into the water causes an
increase in coliform bacteria. The slight presence of coliform bacteria in Macqueripe
Bay may be due to the small schools of fishes there.

Another factor is location. Macqueripe Bay is located at the north of Trinidad where
waves remove garbage from the bay while Williams Bay being at the Gulf of Paria, the
waves deposit sediments and garbage there. Due to it being mostly enclosed the garbage
has nowhere to go. Coliform bacteria does not seem to harm aquatic organisms however
eating fish exposed to coliform bacteria can cause health risks due to the water being
contaminated.
 Pictur
e 7: Showing Coliform Bacteria Test of Both Bays

Conclusion

The aim of this study is to investigate the environmental impact of Tourism at both
Williams Bay and Macqueripe Bay, Chaguaramas.
In doing the study, it is seen that Williams Bay had a higher pH than Macqueripe Bay, 9
and 8 respectively. In terms of Dissolved Oxygen, Williams Bay scored 0-2ppm and
Macqueripe Bay scored 2-4ppm, which may be influenced by the lower temperature and
delineated by signs of aquatic life. There is also no surprise that Macqueripe Bay had a
much lower of turbidity score than Williams Bay at 0-10JTU versus 30JTU respectively as
pollution levels are lower in Macquripe Bay. Lastly in the coliform bacteria test, again
Macqueripe Bay came out on top, as it didn’t have as deep a brown as Williams Bay. This
may be due to the location of the bays as Williams Bay is situated at the Gulf of Paria
where waves deposit garbage and sediments, while in contrast, at Macqueripe Bay’s
location waves remove such items.
Overall it maybe said that Williams Bay seems to be significantly more polluted than
Macqueripe Bay mainly due to human activity. Even though Williams Bay is a larger bay,
the pollution of the area deters some visitors. People seem to rather pay the entry fee at
Macqueripe Bay for a cleaner experience as evident of a higher population there at the
time.
Yes, environmental impacts affect tourism at both bays. Impacts such as litter, pollution,
scenery and overall ambience are major factors in attracting tourism activity.

Recommendations
Based on results obtained, Williams Bay seems to need the same cleaning schedule as
Macqueripe Bay. As seen by some responses of the Chaguaramas residences, Williams
Bay may only be cleaned by volunteers while Macquripe Bay may even be cleaned even 3
times weekly. Laws should be placed regarding dumping of waste from amphibious
vehicles. Accessible garbage bins which are easy to get too should help as people would
have somewhere to throw rubbish. Lastly the CDA should not be biased in which bay they
maintain. If the same level of care is applied to both beaches, then Chaguaramas could
potentially have an increase in tourism and success.
Bibliography

www.charguaramas.com
https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov>facts
https://support.hach.com>app>a_id

usgs.gov

www.fondriest.com

Oxford Dictionary

www.enr.gov.nt.ca

Ocean.si.edu

https://water-research.net

Caribbean Examinations Council. A Study Guide for Tourism, Unit 2,

Module 2, 2002.

Lenon, Barnaby and Cleaves, P. Fieldwork techniques and projects in

Geography (Landmark Geography), UK: Harper Collins, 1994.

Nagle, G. Tourism, Leisure, Recreation. London: Nelson,, 1999.

Richardson, D. and St. John, P. Methods of Presenting Fieldwork

Data,UK: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2004.

Waugh, D. Geography: An Integrated Approach, London: Nelson,

2000
APPENDIX1

Interviews

Both Visitors and Business Owners at the bays were interviewed.

Business Owners:

Williams Bay

a) CDA $3 Toilet and Bath Facility

b) Doubles and preserve Stand

Macqueripe Bay

c) Pier 1

d) Charles Parlour

1. Is pollution a problem in the area?

a) Yes

b) Yes

c) No

d) Yes

2. What causes pollution in the area? People? Facilities?

a) People

b) People

c) People

d) People

3. What kind of pollution causes the biggest problem? Land (Solid waste)? Water?
Air?
Noise?

a) Land and Water

b) Man

c) Water
d) Noise, Land

4. Is garbage collecting done regularly?

a) Tuesdays

b) Once weekly

c) Once weekly

d) Every Day

5. Is the beach area cleaned up regularly? How often?

a) Yes, When they volunteer

b) Seldom, Only by volunteers

c) 3 times weekly

d) Every day

6. Have the facilities changed? Have they been upgraded recently? Has this affected
the level of pollution in the area? And how?

a) No, not many business, some closed down

b) Board walk depleted overtime, pollution increasingly worse

c) Yes, don’t know

d) No, No,

7. Do you think the change in the built facilities has had a positive impact on
tourism in the area/ and how?

a) No. Tourists hardly come, more around carnival.

b) Most facilities and businesses closed down. More locals. ‘You don’t really see them’
(Int.
Tourists)

c) Yes, Financially, More money

d) Yes
Visitors:

Williams Bay

a)

b)

Macqueripe Bay

c)

d)

e)

1. Have you been coming to the are often?

a) Sometimes

b) Yes

c) Seldom

d) Not often

e) Periodically

2. Do you think the area is polluted and how?

a) Yes, Water

b) Yes, Water

c) To some extent

d) Passably

e) Not Really

3. What causes the pollution?

a) Rubbish

b) Rubbish and human waste

c) Garbage mostly

d) Sewerage and garbage mostly

e) ( doesn’t think there’s pollution)

4. Has this pollution worsened overtime?

a) Noticably

b) Yes

c) Yes

d) Not drastically

e) Not really

5. What do you think can be done to lessen pollution in the area?

a) Beach clean ups

b) ‘

c) ‘ and refraining from carelessly disposing of rubbish

d) People caring

e) Changing behaviours