The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has been taking steps to adequately prepare for the upcoming May/June rainy season, even as the forecasts suggest that the rainfall during this period will be “normal”.
Speaking at a meeting held yesterday to highlight plans for the approaching rainy season, Chief Hydromet Officer Bhaleka Seulall said that the most recent statistical and forecast models indicate that the rainfall during the upcoming season is expected to be “normal”, which would include short periods of heavy downpours. She said that there is expected to be about 19-20 rain days during the months of May, June and July and she explained that these are days where the rainfall is equal to or greater than 1 mm. Stabroek News understands that the current rainfall being experienced is not the beginning of the rainy season but rather “unseasonal rainfall”.
Meanwhile, Agricultural Minister Robert Persaud said that there will be an “active rainy season” and said that the various agencies involved in addressing the drainage and irrigation concerns of the country cannot be complacent and must be proactive in addressing this issue. He said that the aim would be to minimize flooding and where possible to prevent flooding. He pointed out that in spite of large investments by the authorities, flash flooding in some areas cannot be prevented in some areas.
Heavy rain earlier this year forced the draining of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) into the Mahaica Creek flooding out thousands of residents and farmers. It was the third time in four years that this had to be done.
The Minister stated that much work has been undertaken to bolster drainage and irrigation across the country especially in the areas traditionally affected by flooding. He, however, said that the increasing siltation of the outfalls of the various sluices continues to be a problem and consequently many of the sluices cannot operate at their full capacities. As a response to this, the NDIA has developed a dredging apparatus that there are currently using. He identified priority areas as being Greenfield, the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary river mouths, Hope, Belfield, Victoria and Buxton. Persaud disclosed that the NDIA is in the process of procuring a second piece of dredging equipment which they hope to acquire before the rainy season at the end of the year. He said that other options are being explored including the possibility of mining dredges to help address the problem.
Persaud said that the drainage system comprises a total of 78 drainage pumps of various capacities. He noted that the NDIA has a fleet of 23 mobile pumps which have been deployed to several areas across the country. He said that plans are in the works to augment the fleet of both fixed and mobile drainage pumps by at least half a dozen before the end of the year.
New Drainage
Outlet for Canal
Number 2 in Region 3
Persaud said that a new pump costing close to $119 million should be operational shortly in Canal Number 2 Polder. He identified these areas as being problematic and said that five machines are doing total rehabilitation of the drainage system at present. He added that in 2-3 months time, approximately $390 million will be spent on doing a number of structures under another project.
Crown Dam
The Minister said that plans are now on stream to do extensive work on the Crown Dam. He explained that in over two decades no substantial maintenance work has been done on the Crown Dam embankment which he explained is not the same as the dam for the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) dam. The Crown Dam is north of the EDWC.
He said that a programme has been started which will see the total rehabilitation of the Crown Dam over a two-year period. He explained that this would in particular benefit residents of Buxton and neighbouring communities. He said that previous attempts to have this project done had been undermined by security concerns since workers did not want to go into the area. Meanwhile, he said that intake structures in the Buxton area are under repair.
Persaud also issued a strong warning to persons who are found vandalizing structures and he said that those persons who are found doing so, will face the full force of the law. He said that previously, warnings had been issued but that henceforth warnings will cease and legal action will commence. He also urged those persons who are living on drainage reserves to “remove or be removed.”
Meanwhile, CEO of the NDIA Lionel Wordsworth outlined several of the projects that have been completed in the different regions in preparation for the approaching rainy season.
Significantly, he also spoke about the EDWC where overtopping was believed to have been the major factor behind the 2005 Great Flood on the East Coast. Wordsworth said that the current level of the EDWC is 56.5 GD and he said that water is currently being discharged into the Demerara River to lower the level.
He, however, explained that the rate of lowering over the past few weeks has been reduced due to the unseasonal rainfall. He stated that over the last two days there has been a 2 ½ inch drop in the water level of the conservancy.
