THE Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has commenced a programme geared at improving and enhancing the drainage and irrigation systems in the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary areas. Previously in the first phase, over 500 farmers benefited and now the NDIA is providing additional support for farmers with 16 hours of excavation works and over 90 HDPE tubes to improve the drainage and irrigation systems in farming areas.
These works are already in progress and are being undertaken on the right bank of the Mahaicony Creek as well as at Esau and Jacob. Works undertaken include excavation, and empoldering as well as the clearing of internal drains on farmlands.
The NDIA is currently constructing an internal flood embankment to prevent overtopping of the Mahaicony River during periods of heavy and prolonged rainfall.
The embankment would be approximately 2500 rods long from Mora Point to First Savannah and works are currently under way. In addition, the NDIA has undertaken the spraying of the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks to eradicate weeds to facilitate the free flow of water. Dredging of the mouths of the Mahaicony and Abary Creeks has also been undertaken using the NDIA pontoon and excavators for the rainy season.
In March 2011, a $166M sluice and outfall channel at Retrieve, Mahaicony were commissioned,  were constructed parallel to the Mahaicony River and will provide increased drainage capacity to farmers and residents on the right bank of the Mahaicony River during rainy periods. Construction of a sluice at Cottage, Mahaicony is being undertaken and is 80% completed. The sluice will drain excess water from the backlands of Mahaicony during rainy periods. The contract sum for the project is $104M.
Further at Profitt, Abary, another sluice is being constructed which will drain rice lands. Some 37,524 acres will benefit after completion of the project construction which has commenced. The contract sum is $133, 429, 75. With the overall construction of the three sluices at Profitt, Cottage and Retrieve, Mahaicony will see improved drainage of 35,000 acres with less reliance on drainage through the creeks, since there would be direct drainage to the Atlantic.
Additionally, the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) has commenced construction of a section of the Bellamy canal and is simultaneously constructing a sea dam from the excavated material.
This would alleviate flooding of lands between the old Bellamy canal and the foreshore. A dragline will be deployed to construct the channel between  Industry and the new sluice at Cottage. Works have been completed on a channel from Hyde Park to the new Retrieve sluice and on the Abary side of the Mahaicony area; works have been completed from 1st to 2nd point, left Bank Abary. Works will commence shortly from 2nd to 3rd Point.
On the right bank of the Mahaica at Biaboo, 1,300 acres of agricultural lands have been empoldered with some remedial works on the dam being undertaken. A bridge at Manuel Canal and stelling has been constructed to assist farmers. In addition, the MMA/ADA has been carrying out rehabilitation of primary channels in the Mahaica and Mahaicony areas. A new bridge will also be constructed at Hyde Park. (GINA)