– work ongoing on reinforcing dams
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud yesterday denied reports that there had been a breach in the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC).
This was also upheld by Secretary of the EDWC Board Samuel La Fleur, who addressed members of the media during a tour of the conservancy. While La Fleur also said that there had been no overtopping of the conservancy anytime recently, he acknowledged that there had been mismanagement of several canals integral to the EDWC.
On Friday, as floodwaters rose significantly in several villages along the East Coast Demerara, reports surfaced that there had been a breach of the conservancy.
But according to La Fleur, the water level in the conservancy is at a non-threatening level of 58.35 GD (Georgetown Datum) and that the water from the conservancy continues to be released through the Maduni sluice.
Persaud said the conservancy is being closely monitored and there was no need for alarm. Meanwhile, he said that he had spoken to the secretary of the Defence Board about having members of the joint services patrol the dams. This suggestion, he said, was only a precautionary measure so as to ensure that no one tampers with the dams.
During the tour yesterday, members of the media were taken through the Annandale channel—one of the canals cleared by the EDWC following the 2005 floods. La Fleur said that for several years, this canal had been blocked up by vegetation and silt. And according the secretary, there are several canals that were allowed to be blocked up. He said that the EDWC Board has already cleared some and is in the process of reopening others.
Part of the East Demerara Water Conservancy dam
When asked why this was allowed to happened, La Fleur said that there clearly was mismanagement by the authorities. However, he added that previously the conservancy was functioning well without these channels being opened and as such the authorities might have taken ignored those which were blocked.
But he said that since 2000 there has been a marked increase in the rainfall over the country and consequently the importance of these channels has been realised.
An excavator reinforcing a section of the East Demerara Water Conservancy dam at the back of Enmore yesterday. (See story on centre pages)
La Fleur said that a lot of work was done in preparation for the current rainy season that the country is experiencing. He said that prior to the beginning of the rainy season, the water in the conservancy had to be released but in doing this, those managing it could not drop it too far below 57.5 GD since the farmers depended on the conservancy water for their farming activities.
Meanwhile work was done on reinforcing several dams so as to ensure that there is no breach. And the reinforcing work on the dams is an ongoing process, he explained. During the tour, an excavator was at reinforcing a dam at the back of Enmore. According to La Fleur, in some cases the soil used to build the dams was not of the best quality and was being replaced with clay soil. Meanwhile, he said that vegetation along the dams perform an integral function in shoring the dams.
He said that work had also been done on rehabilitating the Kofi channel, which he said was inoperable for some time.
Currently four excavators are doing maintenance work on different sections of the conservancy. La Fleur said that ideally more machines are necessary to do the best possible job but he said that there were always financial constraints. According to him, already a substantial amount of money is spent on maintaining the conservancy, and he estimated this at more than $50 million a year.
The koker located at the Kofi channel.
Meanwhile, La Fleur said he is looking forward to the completion of the $3 billion outlet that President Bharrat Jagdeo said will be constructed to aid in drain the conservancy water into the Atlantic Ocean. He said that this will be of tremendous help in maintaining the conservancy.
He also said that work on the Cunha canal is also on the cards and this is also welcomed. According to him, the decision to divert he original Cunha canal may have been a mistake but when the corrective work is done, this would significantly aid in draining the conservancy into the Demerara River.
The floodwater in this Felicity yard has risen due to recent heavy rainfall.(Photo by Jules Gibson)
Persaud, in the meantime, said that technical work has already begun on this project and that currently the government is waiting on funding from the World Bank.
NB:
1. “there had been mismanagement of several canals integral to the EDWC”
2. “there clearly was mismanagement by the authorities”
Secretary of the EDWC Board Samuel La Fleur said that ideally more earth-moving machines are necessary but that there were financial constraints.
This is quite an understandable comment however the EDWC should not be caught ‘napping’ each year because they are well aware it is not the big global polluters like the US who will suffer climate change consequences but poor, ill-financed countries like Guyana.
It is time for Guyana to do some more long term planning to build new reservoirs etc to capture and keep that beautiful, drinkable rainwater and only flushing it away into the salt-water ocean as a last resort.
Moving people to slightly higher ground (4 feet higher than coastal areas?) would be a low cost solution where the government releases its stock of lands to to the citizen on a like for like basis.
That is an excellent idea, but remember there are special interest who will be there to grab the land. Water towers is also a way to save the water instead of flushing it out into the sea. They could use the the students who are interested in science to develop plans, for channeling and saving the water for farmers and other uses. They could set it up a contest for the science fair using the water problems in Guyana. This is a good way in involving the students to develop ways, on how to save their country from flooding. This should also include long range plans, for recycling the plastic containers, bottles, and vehicles tyers which plays a role in flooding discuss reasons why the Styrofoam products should be band from the country
I have an idea for those old tyres.Construct a recycle plant that crushes the tyres which can be used as a filler in waterproofing of bridges & piles where there is salt water.In this way the Govt. can save lots of money instead of re-doing a job every 5-6 years.There is a company in Canada that does that.The govt. of Canada gave the company whome i work for a grant of $5 million to carry out the testing, which resulted in success.I urge the govt. of Guyana to think about this.This testing was done 10 years ago, & still being used in all waterproofing projects to this day.
there is the suspicion on the East Coast that there was a breakage or over topping at the conservancy. we had an entire day of sunshine yesterday (rain only fell lastnight), and yet still by late yesterday the water did not drop. that was unsual. the water rose in the canals from better hope to happy acres. I can attest to that. the entire open space (field) in front of happy acres was flodded. this is obliquely opposite the montrose pump.
I mentioned since last week that I want to believe the Conservacy dam is breached, because the water keeps topping up on some East Coast Villages, The govt. was saying that residence should be on the alert because they have made some outlets on the dam to relieve the pressure on the Dam..Sounds Funny…You have very highly paid men managing that conservacy and still they mismanage,,,what’s next?
mismanagement by the authorities
….anyone attempting to philosophise on the “stupidity” of those whose responsiblity it is to ensure the safety and security that is at
all times a national priority,, will come to the conclusion that can be metered down to less than the fingers on any one’s hand,, out of the four fingers ,, here’s 2,, that can be checked !
1] they r ignorant of the phenomena ,, that is natural to the
landscape to which we belong !…
2] they understand it ???? and is unconcerned abt the safety and
security of the nation !…
they insult the intelligence of the “people” with off the wall comments like the miracle of the proposed “15 mil USD canal” !
in the interim ,, the “people an de economy” remain in suspended animation while the quagmire continues unabated !….
the waters from the head of the MIGHTY AMAZON takes a month to arrive
as it meanders along it’s 4000+ miles to i’ts mouth where it meets the ATLANTIC OCEAN ! the silt that is the impediment for the gravity flow
of the coast ! is that which was deposited by the Amazon at it’s mouth everyday !
3 mil+ tons of silt each day ! that is dispersed along all the mouths of all outlets to the Atlantic ocean from the three countries that make the “guiana shield” ! is the “3 bil GYD canal” the ‘design to impact nature”???????????????????????????
what measures if any ???? to remove the silt from this “canal” that will be carring a flow to drain the entire coast ,, anything else is just a very ,, very ,, damn ! a very expensive “band-aid” !…..
lada dada di ,,, lada dada dah … and de beat goes on !…. stupidity wrapped in ignorance ! any “whole” is the sum of it’s parts !
…here’s a thought from H.G.Wells,, that the “intelligence” ??
exercised by the Min.of Agri,, the hydromet and the D&I should all make note of!…..
careful thought on the major issues that is seemingly an elusive understanding of the phenomena to which we are condemned to endure is enveloped in the words from Wells….
“The true strength of rulers (and empires) lies not in armies or emotions,, but in the belief of men that they are inflexibly open,, truthful and,, leagal ! as soon as a government departs from that standard it ceases to be anything more than “the gang in possession”,, and it’s days are numbered !……….
that is not a dam, it cannot hold back any water, it is more like a stop-off and note that it is constructed using organic material (pagesse) not clay.
I would start jacking up my home if I lived on the E.C.
No one accepted to this day that the dam was breached in 2005 but we all know different.
Lies! Lies! and more lies!. Lawd when it gon dun????? Mi need wan boat, corial or something fuh get in an out. If mi waan live lakha ‘water world’ mi gon live pan wan ship!!!
Tomarrah mawnin mi ah gowheh – go wheh back NORTH……………..
THE FLOADING OF GUYANA IS COMING OF JUGEMENT TIME SO OUR PEOPLE SHOULD COME AS ONE THE BIBLE THE WORLD WILL END WITH FIRE OR FLOAD.
GOOD GOING …SN KEEP ON BLOCKING MY COMMENTS.MAYBE IT’S NOT WORTH PUBLISHING. NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR THE TRUTH.
GEORGE CHANDOOL, WHY DO YOU NOT PUT THE COMMAS, WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO?IT’S HARD READING YOUR COMMENTS, AS IT IS .IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENT CLEARLY……THE WORLD WILL END WITH FIRE OR FLOAD?