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| Hong Kong Geological Survey | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hong Kong Geological Survey |
| Formed | 1980s |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong |
| Parent agency | Development Bureau |
Hong Kong Geological Survey
The Hong Kong Geological Survey is the specialist agency responsible for geological mapping, mineral assessment, and geohazard mitigation in Hong Kong and the surrounding South China region, operating within the Development Bureau (Hong Kong) and interacting with the Civil Engineering and Development Department (Hong Kong), Hong Kong Observatory, Lands Department (Hong Kong), and academic partners such as the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Its remit encompasses bedrock and surficial geology studies, landslide and coastal erosion risk appraisal, groundwater and marine sediment investigations, and the provision of geological advice to agencies including the Buildings Department (Hong Kong), Drainage Services Department (Hong Kong), Highways Department (Hong Kong), and statutory bodies like the Airport Authority Hong Kong and the MTR Corporation. The Survey maintains geological maps, borehole records, and hazard databases used by planners, engineers, and researchers collaborating with international institutions such as the British Geological Survey, United States Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, and regional partners including the Guangdong Provincial Geological Bureau and the Macau Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau.
The Survey conducts bedrock synthesis, surficial deposits characterisation, and geotechnical liaison for land-use projects across the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, supplying expertise to the Hong Kong SAR Government, the Planning Department (Hong Kong), the Civil Aviation Department (Hong Kong), and infrastructure stakeholders like the Kowloon-Canton Railway and Tung Chung New Town Development. It integrates field mapping, remote sensing from platforms such as Landsat, Sentinel (satellite), and airborne geophysics supported by laboratories linked with the Hong Kong Science Park, the National University of Singapore, and the University of Science and Technology of China. The Survey’s outputs inform statutory plans, environmental impact assessments processed under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance and engineering briefs used by consultancies like Jacobs Engineering Group, AECOM, Mott MacDonald, and local firms.
The Survey evolved from earlier geological reconnaissance undertaken during the colonial era by surveyors linked to the Royal Geographical Society, the Geological Society of London, and the British Crown Colony administration; post-war efforts involved collaborations with the British Museum (Natural History), now the Natural History Museum, London, and academic surveys from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. Institutional consolidation occurred during the late 20th century alongside the establishment of departments such as the Civil Engineering and Development Department (Hong Kong) and the inception of systematic mapping projects influenced by international frameworks like the International Union of Geological Sciences and the International Association of Engineering Geology. Major projects included bedrock mapping tied to the development of the New Territories and investigations related to events like the Typhoon Wanda (1962) and landslides after the Typhoon Hagupit (2008), prompting modern hazard programmes.
The Survey is organised into sections handling geological mapping, engineering geology, geohazards, marine geology, laboratory services, and data management, coordinating with statutory agencies such as the Secretary for Development (Hong Kong), the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, and municipal entities including the District Councils of Hong Kong. Functional responsibilities encompass site investigation review for projects submitted to the Buildings Department (Hong Kong), technical input to environmental impact assessments under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance, advice for shoreline management with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (Hong Kong), and provision of expert testimony in panels convened by the Town Planning Board (Hong Kong) and the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
Programs include 1:50,000 and 1:20,000 scale mapping, urban geological mapping for districts such as Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, and the New Territories, and targeted studies of features like the Sai Kung Volcanic Field, the Lantau Complex, and the Tolo Channel region. Research spans petrology linked to peer-reviewed outlets like Nature Geoscience, stratigraphy correlated with the International Commission on Stratigraphy, geochronology using techniques common at the Australian National University and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and paleoseismic studies coordinated with the China Earthquake Administration and the International Seismological Centre.
The Survey underpins landslip risk zoning, coastal erosion assessments, and groundwater contamination studies affecting reservoirs such as Plover Cove Reservoir and catchments like those in Lantau Island, advising emergency response agencies including the Hong Kong Fire Services Department and the Hong Kong Police Force during events akin to Typhoon Mangkhut (2018). It contributes to slope maintenance policy linked to the Landslip Prevention and Mitigation Programme, collaborates on sediment transport studies with the Marine Department (Hong Kong), and supports climate resilience initiatives championed by the Environment and Ecology Bureau (Hong Kong) and regional climate bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The Survey curates borehole logs, geological maps, geotechnical reports, geophysical datasets, and marine sediment cores, publishing bulletins, map series, and online databases used by stakeholders including the Hong Kong Public Libraries and researchers at the Academia Sinica. Its publications appear in outlets and repositories associated with the Geological Society of America, the Asian Geosciences Union, and conferences such as the International Geological Congress; data standards align with international protocols from the Open Geospatial Consortium and collaborations with national bodies like the National Geophysical Data Center.
Outreach includes public lectures, school programmes linked to the Education Bureau (Hong Kong), exhibition contributions to institutions such as the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, and joint projects with the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research and universities including the University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). The Survey partners internationally with the British Geological Survey, USGS, and the China Geological Survey on training, capacity building, and joint research, and engages communities through media channels of the Government Information Services and professional exchanges at meetings of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment.
Category:Geology of Hong Kong