Environmental impact assessments (EIA) is required for most projects likely to influence our environment. The aims of impact assessment is to guide the design and planning process and lead to balanced ecological economical and technically feasible projects.

The environmental impacts arising from coastal projects attracts increasing attention. The protection of, for example, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds or recreational beaches is an integral factor in the planning of coastal defense structures, ports, reclamation and other coastal and marine construction works. DHI has extensive experience in executing environmental impact assessments (EIA) and conducting environmental studies to suport EIAs in the marine and coastal area.

DHI also has EIA capabilities for inland development projects, in particular related to inland water, for example, river sand mining and water supply/intakes, dams and reservoirs.

Experiences world wide have clearly shown that one of the crucial steps in an EIA is the scoping, i.e. the identification of components or parameters likely to be influenced by project implementation. DHI has established its own scoping tools for dividing the likely impacts into four main groups: Physical-Chemical, Biological-Ecological, Social-Cultural and Economic-Operational.

Among other methods, analysis of impacts draws upon DHI's suite of 2D and 3D numerical models for sedimentation and morphological impact assessment, sediment plume analysis, river low-flow analysis and resulting impact assessments on aquatic habitats.