SANTO DOMINGO.- Six of the country’s major dams -Tavera, Valdesia, Sabaneta, Sabana Yegua, Rincón and Hatillo- have sedimentation levels much higher than projected.

According to the Environment Ministry’s last diagnosis Tavera dam, supplied by the North Yaque river basin, had 2,284 cubic meters of sediment per square kilometer in 2003, instead of the only 725 cubic meters projected for that date.

The sedimentation projected for Valdesia, supplied by  the Nizao river basin, was 169 cubic meters per square kilometer, although the study found 3,218 cubic meters.

Sabaneta dam, on the South Yaque river, accumulated 1,963 cubic meters per square kilometer, although the 2003 projection was only 364 cubic meters.

Savannah Yegua, also fed by the South Yaque, had 2,644 cubic meters, with only 561 cubic meters projected. Whereas Rincon, supplied by the Yuna river, had 4,442 cubic meters, when only 291 projected, and Hatillo, fed by the Yuna river, had reached 4,575 cubic meters, with 138 cubic meters projected.

Storms

Tropical storms Noel and Olga’s torrential rains in October and December worsened the physical situation of the country’s dams from the large amount of sediments carried  by their overflowed rivers.

The situation prompted the Environment Ministry to announce a possible bidding to extract the sediment, since their accumulaton increases the risk of floods and limits their storage capacity.

There are 34 dams in the country and no maintenance programs to prevent their sedimentation levels.

Tavera was built ni 1967; Valdesia in 1975; Rincon in 1978; Sabana Yegua in 1979 and Sabaneta in 1980.

SOURCE: hoy.com.do