Work to seal the breach in the East Demerara Conservancy Dam continued yesterday in a effort to secure relief for residents of Cane Grove, Mahaica who have been under several feet of water for the past two days.

When Stabroek News visited the site yesterday piles had already been driven and rails added to give support to the steel sheeting which was to form the seal.

Part of the breach had also been temporarily blocked with clumps of weeds which had significantly reduced the flow of water.

According to engineers, work on completely sealing the breached portion of the dam was expected to be completed by later that afternoon.

Apart from concerned residents, several government ministers and other Neighbourhood Democratic Council officials were on hand to observe the progress of works.

Meanwhile President Bharrat Jagdeo, yesterday visited the disaster area again to find out firsthand about the status of relief efforts and to obtain an update on the progress of work to seal the breach.

While there the head of state was made aware of the absence of electricity, whereupon an immediate call was made to the Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Power and Light requesting a restoration of power.

Once the breach had been sealed, two pumps at Strathavon were to be activated in concert with two mobile units already functioning, to achieve significant reductions in water levels.

Problems with the dam

Touring the dam area Stabroek News accompanied Civil Engineering Consultant within the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, Walter Willis, who pointed out likely problems with the structure.

Among the key elements likely to have caused soil movement and erosion according to Willis, were the lack of vegetation on the bank, together with cracks or pores on the surface of the dam, which were clearly visible.

Willis said that during the rainy season water would get into these cracks or pores causing a build-up of pressure on the mud which had not fully consolidated, and together with wave action lashing the front side of the dam, would likely result in erosion. This he said would naturally occur due to the loose nature of the soil which is clay, and which takes some time to compress.

Clay was a soil type noted for suffering cracks, especially during periods of hot weather.

The engineer also saw the lack of a significant buffer at the rear of the dam as likely to have reduced its ability to bear any significant amount of pressure caused by the level of water in the conservancy.

Inconsistencies in the width of the structure along with a need for more material at its rear were also noted as likely contributers to weaknesses in the dam.

A possible remedy for reducing the likelihood of further breakages, the engineer suggested, would be to reduce the level of water that is normally held in the conservancy to allow time for the earth on the rehabilitated portion of the dam to settle.

During the approximately one mile walk along the dam to the breach, Stabroek News saw patches where grass had been planted to impede the process of erosion.

The dam was said to have had seepage problems with water from the conservancy oozing through pores in its soil.

Once at the breach, BK International engineers along with members of the area Neighbourhood Democratic Council and Drainage and Irrigation board officials were engaged in effecting repairs.

Managing Director of BK International, Brian Tiwari expressed the opinion that foul play was behind the erosion of the dam which he said was unlikely to have collapsed to this extent under normal circumstances.

A former D&I and NDC official who was closely associated with the conservancy some years previously highlighted the historical fact that the original dam had been constructed in the nineteenth century as a consequence of the work done by William Russell to solve the problem of how to supply pure water to Georgetown.

He was of the opinion that the dam should have a standard 12 foot width, and that the present seepage drain at the rear should be condemned. He said that this should be sited some 30 rods away from the dam with the earth being used to strengthen the toe of the present dam.

A former NDC official who is engaged in farming was of the opinion that contractors should listen to advice from farmers and other persons knowledgeable about the area.

Meanwhile residents of the mainly agricultural community, yesterday continued to leave as the flood waters showed no signs of abating.

Many it was said had already left to seek shelter with relatives in other areas while others who chose to brave the floods continued to be confined to the upper stories of their homes.

Albert Wyatt a resident showed reporters a water anaconda that his wife had caught in their flooded yard, compliments of the breach.

According to the villager, conditions were difficult due to the flood, as it had caused severe damage to his crops and everything else in his yard, reducing his earning power to nil.

He also admitted to having being employed with BK International and expressed himself not surprised at the dam's collapse because of the quality of the soil with which it was constructed.

He felt that it was the wrong approach for the contractor to break a dam in order to build up the height of the new dam.

Work to raise the level of the conservancy dam was started three years ago by BK International.

With regard to the threat to the livelihood of the villagers presented by the flooding, another resident expressed the view that the decision to loose cows on the higher lands was ill conceived, since they would cause damage to people's plants.

Another commented that the situation was deteriorating with ants building nests in his home as they attempted to locate dry areas.

Yet another bemoaned the level of assistance being given by the relief team who he said were mainly interested in getting the breach blocked.

Promised meals and other assistance he stated had not been forthcoming and when he tried to seek refuge in the area police station as advised on Saturday afternoon, he was turned away.