Dear Editor,
Please permit me space in your daily publication to comment on a report entitled ‘No short-term solution to the overtopping of the seawall -say engineers’ appearing in the Sunday Stabroek of May 5.
I am not a structural, geotechnical or hydrologic engineer, but I disagree with coastal engineers who declared that there is no short-term solution to mitigate future overtopping of the seawall along the Kitty to Liliendaal stretch.
I am a believer in global warming and the rise in sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice. I believe in the cyclic nature of the movement of sea deposits, for in my lifetime I have experienced several of those along the coast, especially near areas that are being dredged.
I do not believe that attempting mangrove planting in this area at this time will be successful, since seedlings will be swept away by the high tides.
I do not advocate raising the coping of the present seawall for this may result in slippage to the present structure which in Mr Alli’s estimation may have already been weakened.
I am suggesting a possible means of building back the level of the foreshore and providing a means of protecting the area from overtopping. This suggestion requires the cooperation of all the relevant agencies. It requires the use of piles, old used tyres and suitable materials to hold the tyres together. This material must be long-lasting and salt resistant. Apart from those, suitable equipment for pile-driving will be needed.
At low tide piles are placed 12-20ft apart and used tyres placed close together are tied to the piles. Two rows of tyres 3-4ft apart are placed to break the force of the tide. In so doing sling mud will be deposited and the forceful water will be slowed. In time a mud embankment will be formed in this area and this will help in slowing the invading sea.
I wish the authorities would call our engineers together or seek external help from our Dutch or Italian counterparts who are experts in this area.
Yours faithfully,
Thomas Richmond
