With rain swelling the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) to dangerous levels, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) was yesterday putting procedures in place to begin operational testing of the Hope Canal relief channel.
The NDIA was due to commence the testing at the Hope channel at 6AM today, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported yesterday.
“This will serve as one option to discharge water which will aid in bringing the EDWC water level down and creating safer free board levels,” the Ministry of Agriculture said, according to GINA.
The Ministry said this decision was taken in light of the fact that the EDWC level has risen to a threatening height as a result of recent rainfall. “At present, the levels are 58.25 GD at Flagstaff, 57.70 GD at Lama and 54.85 GD at Land of Canaan which is above the full supply level of 57.50 GD. The height of the Conservancy Dam is 59 GD,” the release stated.
As a last resort, the Ministry stated that the EDWC commission will take a decision to have controlled release of water through the Mahaica Creek, via the Lama and Maduni outlets, so as to ensure the integrity of the conservancy’s dams. In the past, this has led to severe flooding of the Mahaica Creek and surrounding areas.
GINA said that excess water continues to be released from the conservancy into the Demerara River through the Five-door Sluice at Land of Canaan and the Kofi and Cunha sluices.
The $3B Hope Canal was one of the flagship projects of the former PPP/C government but it missed many deadlines and is still to be commissioned. Ironically, when it is most needed after being on the drawing board for nearly 10 years, it is still to be ready. It was conceptualised following the Great Flood of 2005 and construction began several years ago.
