The National Works Agency (NWA) is making another push to contain flood waters from the Yallahs River, which has over the years caused millions of dollars in damage to homes and properties.
Most of the damage has come about, due to the erosion of the river banks. Last year, the NWA completed phase one of a programme of river training works, which resulted in just under half a kilometer of the embankment being recreated.
Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw says a second phase of the work is now underway that will result in another 450 meters of embankment being recreated.
He says the new phase of works is to be undertaken in two stages. During the first stage, earth works will be carried out by the Agency’s Force Account Teams. This is expected to be completed by early next month. Following the completion of earth works, contractors will undertake bunding works, which is a process by which wires and stones are used to hold the embankment together.
Mr. Shaw says this phase project is being funded through a loan from the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) in the amount of 105 million dollars. These works are expected to be completed within six months.
In the meantime, emergency work has commenced along a section of the Caneside River in Portland. Flood rains in early January caused extensive erosion to the river bank and significant damage to houses in the community of Balford Hole.
Mr. Shaw says an area, approximately 300 feet in length, is being restored using river-bed material. These works are expected to be completed in eight weeks and is being undertaken by a Force Account Team from the NWA. The project is expected to cost just under eight million dollars.
