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Critical World Bank study on EDWC launched
From left: Ministry of Agriculture’s Permanent Secretary, George Jervis, signs the grant agreement, in the presence of Senior Engineer, Frederick Flatts, CEMCO’s Managing Director, Raymond Latchmansingh, and Project Director of Mott McDonald, Andrew Kirby.
– will explore strategies for long-term flood control
A key study has been launched to determine how one of the country’s most fearsome conservancies could be harnessed in a more manageable manner.
On Wednesday, the World Bank and government signed a US$2.7M grant agreement that will see internationally-recognized UK-based engineering firm, Mott McDonald and CEMCO, a local company, assessing, over a 24-month period, the flow of water to the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC), its storage uses and the levels during heavy rainfall.
The initiative is part of the government’s Conservancy Adaptation Project.
Additionally, the engineers will also be advising on the strategic placement of more rainfall stations to the conservancy which virtually manages backdam waters from entering mainly the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara and Georgetown.
During a signing ceremony Wednesday, Senior Engineer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Frederick Flatts, said that the study will serve as a guide for future developments of the EDWC.
Over time, with the unpredictability of rains, and following the 2005 floods, the EDWC operations have come under intense scrutiny.
Rising waters from the conservancy then had to be released through the Mahaica and Mahaicony Rivers, leaving several riverain communities under water in one of the worst floods the country has experienced.
During the signing ceremony at the EDWC FlagStaff compound, Mahaica, Flatts asserted that the study is a groundbreaking one that for the first time in over 100 years will look at the situation in a comprehensive manner.
The EDWC has a 40-mile long earthen embankment that is not only crucial for the irrigation of thousands of acres of farmlands on the coast, but serves as a source for drinking water for the city.
According to the engineer, the floods clearly highlighted the need for long term control strategies that are based on solid analysis.
According to CEMCO’s lead consultant, Raymond Latchmansingh, the studies are being funded over the climate change strategy programs of the World Bank and will focus on alleviating the threat of flooding, especially to agricultural areas, using sophisticated methods.
The official admitted that the study will involve some “mammoth tasks” including overhead flights and the use of LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), an optical remote sensing technology that can measure the distance.
One area being studied is the possibility of moving water from one section of the EDWC to another section.
The engineer noted that the conservancy has defied engineering analysis standing up the way it did despite being built on “poor soils”.
Additionally, the engineers will be examining ways to better manage water “downstream”, especially through the canals and rivers running through housing and farms areas.
According to the Minister
of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, who witnessed the signing, the study is crucial to determining what interventions are needed to tackle the challenges of climate change.
Currently Guyana is also working with the Japanese government to further improve the conservancy and very shortly an agreement to the value of US$5M will be signed, the Minister revealed.
Making his case for the investments in drainage and irrigation, Persaud pointed out that studies have shown that Guyana requires a staggering US$550M to fix its problems. The reality is that Guyana can only afford to spend US$5M annually…half of this on maintenance alone.
This is a clear indication that much more needs to be done. Currently, government is building a US$15M relief channel from the EDWC to provide an alternative route.
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