The East Demerara Water Conservancy Board (EDWC) closed the Maduni sluice on Monday evening, following a reduction in the water level in the conservancy.
According to a release on Monday from the EDWC Board, water contained in the EDWC had reached a critical level following prolonged periods of high-intensity rainfall. Consequently, a decision was made to open the Five-Door Sluice at Land of Canaan, in addition to the Kofi and Cunha sluices which all lead into the Demerara River. Water was also discharged via the Maduni and Lama sluices into the Mahaica and then to the Atlantic.
Based on information received from the EDWC Board, the sluices will remain closed once further high intensity rainfall does not cause the water in the conservancy to rise to a critical level.
The recent release of the water into the Mahaica creek from the conservancy via the Maduni sluice has added to the woes of the residents in that area.
After having to cope with the initial heavy rainfall, residents were forced to deal with the additional volumes of water being released, which caused severe flooding in the region. However, the government has pledged to help those residents who have been most affected by the floods.
Meanwhile, the Board said that contrary to rumours, the Lama outlet door did not collapse or break but was manually removed and will be manually closed with logs. When Stabroek News contacted the Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Lionel Wordsworth, he said the Lama outlet door was manually opened since that was the only way the outlet would work.
Consequently, when it needs to be closed it will have to be closed manually.
Asked whether this was a sign that the outlet was not working as it should, Wordsworth said that as long as the outlet could be opened and closed and the water passed through, it was doing the job it was supposed to.
The Lama Sluice is expected to be upgraded under the Conservancy Adaptation Project and will thus be converted into a mechanically operated sluice.