Flood prevention and control

While they have been studiously ignored, I believe it is my civic duty to persist in my advocacy even at the risk of repetition because the national and societal cost of widespread flooding and the trauma associated with it is enormous, perhaps totalling hundreds of millions annually in dollar value .

The question arises, therefore, as to whether these huge losses and relief expenditures could be avoided or minimised by flood prevention and mitigation measures .

Three years ago (11/8/14) in this newspaper, I wrote as follows: “There are many aspects to a regime of flood control and prevention .

It is not only about constructing and clearing water courses and establishment of a drainage system, important as they are. There are legal, regulatory, conservation, land use and environmental issues straddling many disciplines, requiring an appropriate approach … “Attention should be focused on the identification and elimination of contributory factors such as the denudation of hillsides, the obstruction of water courses especially by homeowners, contractors and developers, illegal occupation of watercourse reserves for building or agriculture and wanton garbage disposal .

“Corrective measures must include proactive enforcement of laws and regulations by agencies such as Town and Country Planning, the Drainage Division, local government authorities and the EMA to deal with infractions. There is also need for a targeted programme of reafforestation .

“Additionally, all the water courses in the country should be continuously monitored to identify instances of illegal activity such as dumping of garbage and encroachment on watercourse reserves. Such monitoring would also pinpoint areas for immediate action with respect to widening, dredging and desilting within a comprehensive and continuous programme of activity .

“Two major initiatives are required .

The first is the development of a national drainage plan and the second is the establishment of a watercourses authority which will have responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of all watercourses in the country, whether major or minor, and for demarcating and protecting watercourse reserves. It will be empowered to take legal action where and when necessary .

“The operation of such an authority will bring to an end the time-consuming jurisdictional disputes as to which government organisation has responsibility for which watercourse .

“It will also enable an overview of the connectivity and relationship between and among watercourses in a comprehensive, flood control and watercourse maintenance regime including strengthening and consolidation of embankments and establishment of pumping facilities .

“Very importantly, however, is the development of a programme to construct water retention reservoirs and ponds at strategic locations on the foothills and on existing watercourses as part of the longer-term infrastructure for the prevention and alleviation of flooding .

“The construction of such retention facilities can have many socio-economic benefits, eg an additional source of water in the dry season for domestic, agricultural or industrial use and for aquaculture and recreation.” Lack of financial resources should not be a constraint if sensible expenditure priorities are established .

Activities such as monitoring of watercourses and enforcement of laws and regulations may require the redeployment of personnel in nonproductive activities both at the central and local government level .

The development of a national drainage plan and establishment of a watercourses authority would require limited expenditure. The cost of dredging, desilting and embankment consolidation must be considered in relation to the national savings on economic losses and relief expenditures .

The construction of water retention reservoirs and pump facilities as infrastructure for sustainable drainage, flood control and water management can be financed as an economic investment by long-term loans from international lending agenci e s , eg IDB and will pay more economic dividends than construction of a highway to Toco and a port there .

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