Japanese team expected in October to conclude assessment of EDWC
- use of technology under consideration

A fourth mission from Japan is expected in Guyana next month to conduct a final assessment of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) which serves the functions of a flood control structure and a source of irrigation for agricultural lands during the dry season.
            The team’s supportive role which aims to strengthen the conservancy banks follows a US$6.7M Joint Declaration on Enhanced Co-operation in Environment and Climate Change issues that were made between the two countries after President Bharrat Jagdeo and then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in 2007.


President Bharrat Jagdeo meets Japanese Ambassador to Guyana Tatsuaki Iwata at State House

            Japanese Ambassador to Guyana Tatsuaki Iwata met President Bharrat Jagdeo at State House today to discuss the next step in efforts to strengthen the EDWC and the prospects of reaching a conclusion.
He told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that Japanese engineering experts are at present mulling whether technological innovation can be applied to the effort.
“If that element is clear it will tell us what kind of construction method will be adopted and will tell us what kind of technology we utilize for fortifying the banks,” Ambassador Iwata said.
Upon the conclusion of the team’s assessment, a final plan will be crafted qualifying Guyana to benefit from the procurement of equipment, earthen works with the EDWC and rehabilitation of critical drainage structures.
 This includes possible support for the construction of the Cunha Canal, even as the government proceeds with the northern relief channel at Hope/Dochfour to increase the discharge capacity of the EDWC. Work is slated to begin on the latter on October 1.
 In July last year Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud met with a preparatory study mission from the Japanese Government to follow up on support for the EDWC and its associated drainage and irrigation structures.
The Japanese team was headed by Goya Yoshiyuki, the Executive Technical Advisor to the Director General of the Rural Development Department, of JICA. Technical experts from Japan are working closely with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority to boost its capacity.
The EDWC is a major freshwater impoundment located in Region Four, 15 miles south of the most densely populated sections of Guyana. It is bounded to the north by a 40-mile earthen dam structure and south by the natural topographic rise composed largely of ancient coastal dune formations.
The conservancy serves two purposes; first as a flood control structure which prevents water from the back lands invading the coast during the rainy season; and second as a source of irrigation for the agricultural lands during the dry season


President Bharrat Jagdeo and Japanese Ambassador to Guyana Tatsuaki Iwata in discussions at State House

The floods of 2005 had resulted in overtopping of the conservancy and prompted action by government to upgrade and strengthen the structure through a number of projects.
One such imminent project is the construction of an outfall channel at Hope that will be of enough capacity to relieve the pressure on the conservancy.
Meanwhile, heavy reliance has been on sea defence drainage and irrigation structures and mangroves to protect the coastland from the Atlantic. Extreme events such as hurricanes have however, resulted in erosion of the earthen embankment, mud ripples along the coast and uprooting of the mangroves.
Over the years government has expended about US$30M for capital and rehabilitation works for sea defence, some of which has been supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).