The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has dispatched two excavators to clear the foreshore at Number 43 Village, a move meant to improve drainage in Black Bush Polder. A release from the Authority noted that recently, Black Bush Polder has been experiencing prolonged flooding, and the NDIA, being dissatisfied with the rate at which water was being discharged, set out to assist with works to improve the drainage in the area.
As such, they dispatched a pontoon with two excavators, which will be used to clear the foreshore. That exercise will be a complement to works already completed on the canal outfall.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NDIA, Frederick Flatts, explained that even with the outfall cleared, unless the foreshore is too, flooding will persist. “As we are aware, recently there was flooding at Yakusari, Black Bush Polder— that is the same drain that is used to discharge water from the Yakusari area. Because the flooding was fairly prolonged the NDIA was not satisfied with the rate at which the water was being discharged from that area, and so to assist with the drainage we dispatched that pontoon with two excavators to help improve the rate of drainage,” Flatts said.
DPI said that according to Flatts, while the outfall channel is inland and cleared, regardless of how deep it may be, if the foreshore is not as deep as the outfall, the drainage efforts will be stymied.
He noted that the outfall channel for the canal, which is roughly one mile long and ends at the foreshore, was cleared by way of contract. He explained that it is from that end point that the pontoon bearing the NDIA excavators will clear, advancing into the Atlantic Ocean as far as necessary, though he noted that the distance is normally about 1,000 feet.
“When that is done, the rate of discharge of water from a sluice, as in this case, will improve by four times. So, we have improved the drainage in Black Bush Polder,” the CEO stated.
The release added that in a few days, the operation will be repeated in the Number 51 and 52 outfall channels.
It was noted that the pontoon with the two machines is being moored inland at the end of the workday as a safety precaution to avoid them being lost at sea.
