Black Bush Polder cleared of threats from rain – Regional Chairman

– residents claims dams overflowing

Chairman of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) David Armogan is confident that the region has the capacity to drain the Black Bush Polder area in light of the impending rainy season and as such, the area is clear from any expected flooding.
Moments after relating this information, residents in the same Black Bush Polder area contacted Guyana Times to complain that dams in the area were overflowing. This publication was told that the outfall channels are all blocked and the pumps are clogged with mud, resulting in sluice doors not being able to open.

The pumps at the outfall channels were extremely helpful during the last rainy season, preventing farmers from suffering any losses due to flooding. However, none of those systems are presently in place even though the May/June rainy season has commenced.
According to Regional Vice Chairman Denis DeRoop, who heads the Regional Works Committee, the contractor employed by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to clear the Number 43 Village outfall last year did not complete the project.
Hence, the siltation has resulted in fishing boats being grounded. The NDIA has the responsibility for clearing the outfalls which drain the Black Bush Polder; Eversham, Adventure and Number 43 Village.
Nevertheless, works have commenced at the Adventure outfall, Armogan stated.
“We are also in the process of awarding contracts for the Number 47 Outfall and some of the other outfalls that we would normally be doing during the rainy season. I hope that the Tender Board can act fast enough to make sure that these contracts are awarded and people put on standby so that immediately as soon as the rains start to pour down, we would get the machines in place to get the outfalls cleared,” the Chairman noted.
More so, he added that the situation is being monitored as it relates to rainfall. The Chairman explained that only if there is a significant amount of rainfall only then would there be any threat of flooding in the Black bush Polder.
The contractors, he noted, will have to be prepared to commence work at very short notice should the need arise.
He further explained that the current drainage and irrigation is designed to take off one and a half inches of rainfall within a 24-hour period but if it continues to rain constantly over a two-day period, some flooding can occur.
“But we have large pumps now at 43 Village, Eversham and we have to be able to instal pumps at Adventure too. So we have capacity not only in terms of gravidity drainage but also when the tide rises we can also do pumping,” Armagon stated.
The Hydro Meteorological Office predicts that this year there will be less rainfall when compared with the May/June period last year.
This time, however, it will be impossible for pumping to occur since even the area around the pump is completely silted. Some farmers say if heavy rainfall should come, there will be flooding.