– as preparations continue for mid year rains

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud along with Regional Chairmen and agriculture officials at the press briefing yesterday at his Ministry’s boardroom.

No corrective action was taken, to rehabilitate the dam because of security concerns, as workers feared for their lives, as a result of the crime situation, that had prevailed in the volatile backlands along the East Coast, especially aback the violence-prone Buxton/Vigilance areas.

Briefing the media yesterday, currently completed and ongoing works in preparation for the May/June rainy season, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud said the Crown Dam works will begin this year and are expected to last for two years.

It would focus on areas such as Victoria where there were cavities and slippages, he said.

During the last rainy season, there were several breached areas on Crown Dam aback of Victoria which had led to the village and other surrounding areas being inundated with water.

Minister Persaud had noted his concern, with respect to this issue since there were reports of persons removing the inlet structures, as well as objects being thrown in the pump area.

It was also reported that seven pumps had been damaged as a result of vandalism.

He warned that persons found committing any such acts will feel the full force of the law.     

With respect to the EDWC, he said government continues to make it a priority by constant monitoring, raising and widening its banks. Work is expected to begin on the additional outlet to the Atlantic Ocean from the EDWC in the second quarter of this year after the consultants would have completed technical studies for its design and construction.   

The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has been tasked with combining the efforts of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), and the Regional and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), during the rainy periods.

Government is in the process of expanding, rehabilitating and building new sluices as it seeks to upgrade the drainage system in light of climate change.

There are 80 pumps including 23 mobile ones that are at the Ministry’s disposal and the NDIA is in the process of procuring six others.

In Georgetown, even though it is not the responsibility of NDIA to ensure proper drainage, Government is spending over $130M on the Kitty and Liliendaal pumping stations. 

Siltation has been a concern of many during the rainy seasons, and to address this aspect a pontoon and excavator were bought and these have already dredged all four outfall channels in Region Three and moved to Region Four in the Greenfield area.

NDIA is in the process of procuring a second barge and is experimenting with using mining dredges as an alternative.  

In terms of the Boerasirie Conservancy, Minister Persaud noted that his Ministry was looking at “flood prone spots to make medium, short or long-term investments”.

The MMA/ADA continues to be a priority but work has been hampered there as a result of rainfall.     

The challenges posed to the drainage systems countrywide include negligence by personnel, dumping of garbage in drainage systems, low level of responsiveness by NDCs, vandalism of drainage structures and equipment and undersized road culverts along the East Coast and West Coast Berbice and Corentyne highways. 

Weather predictions 
Chief Hydrometerological Officer, Bhaleka Seulall, said recent statistical and forecast models for the rainy season show that there are reasonably high probabilities of normal rainfall. There are also likely to be periods of high intensity rainfall.

She noted that there will be short periods of heavy downpours with 19 rain days within May, June and July.

Minister Persaud noted, that there is a small window between the two rainy periods, noting that government has moved to put measures in place to minimize flooding, but could not prevent flash flooding in some instances.

PREPARATORY WORKS
Region Two
In Region Two, preparatory works undertaken include installation of new drainage pumps at Anna Regina and Cozier, construction of 289 meters of scour protection at La Union outfall channel, excavation of four miles of drainage channels at Sparta and Affiance, construction of five miles earthen embankment at Lilydale, lower Pomeroon and drainage structures at Richmond, Better Success and Coffee Grove.

A revetment at Dredge Creek, and a drainage structure at Devonshire Castle were erected. There has been continuous maintenance of 250 miles of drainage channels, and installation of sluice doors at Anna Regina, Lima, Perth and Somerset and Berks.

Drainage pumps at Lima, Westbury, Andrews and Charity were serviced and the outfall channels at La Union and Andrews were excavated and the Cozier sluice and outfall channel were resuscitated.

Region Three
In Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara a number of projects is ongoing, in preparation of the impending rainy season.

These include:  construction of drainage sluice at De Willem which will cost over $150M  and will be operational shortly, rehabilitation of Canal No. 2 hydraulic pump, installation of New 150 cu. sec drainage pump, construction of new sluice door at La Jalousie, cleaning  and excavating three miles of Georgia seepage drain, excavating outfall channels at Windsor Forest, Hague, La Jalousie and Blankenburg, creating a new drainage Canal at Naamryck/Salem, construction of revetment at Salem outfall channel, excavating 1.7 miles Orangefield North and South drains, cleaning and excavating 56 miles of canals and drains within Leguan Island, and maintenance of 92 miles of canals and drains within Canals Polder,  Windsor Forest and Vreed-en-Hoop.

Region Four
Like Region Three works are undergoing on a number of projects. Dredging is being carried out on Greenfield, Hope, Belfield, Victoria and, Buxton outfall channels, while rehabilitation is being done on 1.4 miles of Crown Dam embankment from Annandale East to Strathsphey. 

A new drainage/intake structure is being built at Buxton West Sideline, Company Canal, Friendship East/Vigilance west sideline, while repairs to Crown Dam at Victoria and sealing of 22 breached areas are being done.

Excavation is being carried out on 28 miles of drainage channels in Golden Grove, Victoria, Nabaclis and Cove and John. Monthly maintenance of 340 miles of canals and drains within Cane Grove, Victoria, Golden Grove, Hope, Ann’s Grove, Enterprise, Mon Repos, Friendship, Craig, Garden of Eden and Mocha (East Bank Demerara) continues.  

In addition, drainage pumps at Paradise (East Coast) are being re-installed, and repairs undertaken to Greenfield intake on Crown Dam.

Drainage pumps at Huntley, Strathavon, Supply, Greenfield, Hope, Victoria, Golden Grove, Buxton, Good Hope, Plaisance, Kitty and Liliendaal are being serviced. 

Some of the new projects in the region, include installation of two new 120 cu.sec drainage pumps at Greenfield, and excavation of the Paradise drainage canal.

Region Five
In Region Five, completed works include rehabilitating 13 miles of Bellamy canal from Mahaica to Mahaicony, Spring Hall double door sluice, 30 miles of drainage canals from Bellamy to Industry Canal, installing wooden box culverts at Esau and Jacob and  constructing revetment at De Kendren/Zealand.

The Manuel canal from Perth Baiboo to Mahaica Creek, and Yankee Canal from Industry to No. 10 have been rehabilitated and repairs conducted on the Mahaica Creek right flood embankment from De Hoop to Baiboo.

Region Six
Some 38 miles of drainage canals at No. 51, 52/74, Joppa NDC area, Whim, New Canje, Crabwood Creek and Black Bush Polder were excavated; 200 miles of canals at Numbers  52/74, Crabwood Creek and Black Bush Polder were cleaned, and a new drainage canal and discharge structure at No. 19 were constructed.

Maintenance was effected of 148 miles of drainage channels within Black Bush Polder, Numbers 52/74 and Crabwood Creek while the outfall channels at No. 43, Lesbeholden, Eversham, Wellington Park and Belvedere were excavated.

Pumps were serviced at Fyrish, Joppa and Lesbeholden, while the Rose Hall sluice was re-activated.

Region Ten
Thirty six miles of drainage canals at Poker Street, Christianburg, Green Valley, Rockstone, Industrial Area, Blueberry Hill, Silver City, West Watooka, Retrieve, and One Mile were cleaned. The Hymara Creek and the Cocatara drainage canal in West Watooka Creek were cleaned and excavated and a drainage control box at Blueberry Hill was built.

Meanwhile, evaluation of tenders for pre-investment studies for the design of engineering works and supervision of specific adaptation works are ongoing for the  Conservancy Adaptation Project.

The World Bank is reviewing the technical proposal for the rehabilitation of the Cunia Canal. (GINA)