AS the Administration continues to intervene to deal with the effects of La Nina weather phenomenon, significant efforts are being made to ensure that drainage structures are operating at their maximum. And even as measures are being taken to deal with the rainfall, other structures are being constructed to significantly boost drainage capacity.
National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Chief Executive Officer, Lionel Wordsworth, told the Government Information Agency (GINA), that the Greenfield Pump Station, East Coast Demerara being constructed at a cost of approximately $260M, is 80 percent complete.
“The project is progressing satisfactorily. The only work left to be completed is the installation of the prime movers to drive the engines, and some minor work to complete the pump basin itself,” he said.
Countrywide, the NDIA has been embarking on emergency drainage works inclusive of cleaning and desilting canals to ensure that flooding is reduced.
“While we continue to face challenges of siltation of sluices and outfall channels, with the limited resources available, we are working to have all blocked structures cleared to facilitate gravity drainage,” Worsdworth said.
A similar pump station is being constructed at Clonbrook/Bee Hive, with an expected March completion deadline.
“We also have an ongoing project whereby we are acquiring 14 pumps through a line of credit from the Government of India, both fixed and mobile. These pumps will be deployed to identified locations,” the CEO said.
Two pontoons and eight excavators will be acquired shortly, under a grant project with the Japanese Government, to spearhead the Ministry of Agriculture’s D&I rehabilitation and improvement programme.
While a new sluice has been constructed recently at Cottage, Region4, and the bridge currently under construction, Wordsworth stated that once completed, this will improve the capacity to drain farmlands between the Mahaica/Mahaicony areas through the Perth Biaboo Canal.
“Similarly, in Abary on the right bank, there is some 10,000 acres of farmland that drains in the Abary, and with the rising water level in the creek, it was not possible for them to benefit from gravity drainage, so we are constructing a new sluice downstream of the Abary for farmers,” he said.
Government spent $4.5B to strengthen D & I structures countrywide last year, not only taking the necessary measures to fortify the country against the effects of climate change, but to assist the thousands of households that depend directly on agriculture for sustenance and to protect farmlands.
Among the major works done were: constructing a  $165.7M sluice and channel at Retrieve, Mahaicony, the $93.4M Waterloo sluice in Leguan, the $16.37M Noitgedacht sluice in Wakenaam, raising various blocks of embankment along the Pomeroon River, expansion of the Grove/Diamond sluice on which $45.3M was spent, and drainage and other infrastructural developments in Buxton / Friendship on which more than $82M was spent. The Golden Grove and the Cane Grove electrical pumps were also rehabilitated.
The sum of $1.24B was expended on rehabilitation of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) that catered for work on a concrete bridge at Hope/Dochfour, the conservancy head regulator which links the EDWC to the relief channel, the conservancy high level sluice outfall structure, and work on the Hope canal.
Government also completed a US$3.8M grant agreement with Japan that allowed for the procurement of eight excavators and two pontoons to assist with development works at the EDWC.