Hope Canal in full use after record breaking rainfall

Jul 19, 2015 News

The eight-door sluices of the $3.6B Hope Canal project were yesterday working overtime following record breaking downpours along the country’s coast last week.
On a visit to the Hope/Dochfour, East Coast Demerara (ECD) end of the Canal, Kaieteur News observed that the structure was in the process of releasing water into the Atlantic Ocean.
According to onsite workmen, the eight-door high-discharge sluice had been open since 21:00 hours on July 15, continuously releasing water. It was noted by the workmen that the sluices were opened at the time when torrential rains enveloped the Guyana’s coast.
The $3.6B structure, which is connected to the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC), was designed to hold approximately 59GD of water. When this publication visited the canal’s northern drain off point at 11:00hrs yesterday, it was observed that water levels measured 55GD as the sluices were operating.
Hope Canal was launched as an alternative canal in Demerara and a “long term solution” to the threat of flooding from the EDWC, which, in the past, was responsible for massive floods along the Demerara Coastland.
In 2005, due to a breach of the EDWC, a flood devastated farmlands along the Demerara Coast. It is estimated that almost 30,000 hectares of farmlands line the EDWC.

Opened sections of the Hope Canal eight-door sluice yesterday

The entire $3.6B dollar project had started in October of 2010 under the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration. The government at the time had targeted a two-year completion but delays left the project behind schedule by three years with minor works to be completed.
According to an official of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) an August completion of the canal was reported last month, following threateningly high water levels in the EDWC. This subsequently led to an early opening of the Hope Canal in June.
The opening of the sluices this time around comes after Guyana’s Coastland was battered by torrential rain on July 15 and July 16; initial reports recorded 8.26″ of rainfall in Georgetown. Such levels of downpour were deemed “unusual” by the capital city’s mayor, Hamilton Green.
Attempts to contact Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder, on the extent of the Canal’s operations as well as the implications it could have on affected flooded areas by this publication were unsuccessful.
In addition to the country’s capital, areas along the East Coast and Bank of Demerara were especially affected by the heavy rainfall which resulted in the government activating the National Emergency Operations Centre and prompted meetings at the Civil Defence Commission, Thomas Lands, Georgetown.
Sections of West Demerara were also seriously affected by the rainfall. Villages like Den Amstel, Leonora and Uitvlugt experienced flooding.