East Coast Demerara – The Ministry of Agriculture Drainage and Irrigation Authority has issued an alert due to continuous rainfall resulting from the La Nina weather phenomenon. The level of water East Demerara Water Conservancy has reached a threatening level and still rising. As a last resort, the Commission of EDWC has taken the decision to have controlled release of water through the Mahaica Creek via the Maduni and Lama outlets. From the start of the La Nina period, excess water was being evacuated from the EDWC into the Demerara River via the five-door sluice at Land of Canaan and outlets at Kofi and Cunhia Sluices.
The EDWC Commission is urging that all precautions be undertaken to ensure that the discharge of water did not acutely aggravate an already rising Mahaica Creek, due to the historic level of rainfall along the coast and in the upper reaches which flow into the various creeks and rivers.
The ongoing construction of the East Demerara Water Conservancy Northern Relief Channel at Hope / Dochfour when completed will prevent the use of Lama and Maduni to discharge and put communities under threat.
In addition, residents in the upper reaches of the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks are advised to be on the alert and to take necessary precautions with the impending release of water to prevent any pressure on the dam.
The EDWC has informed the Civil Defence Commission of this critical decision.The average level of the EDWC is 57.8 GD which is just above the full supply level of 57.5 GD. The height of the Conservancy Dam is 59 GD.
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