A Major problem for Trinidadians. They tend to just stick everything down the drains, culverts, and rivers. I have noticed so many plastic bottles, cans, house materials, old cars, and you could name 100 more items. It is the people's responsibility to not clog up the drains, and it is the Government responsibility to get Laws and to enforce it with heavy fines. If these people stop filling up their waterways, the Government can clean up quickly , dredge, and you would have no problems. Whenever I see everyone blaming the Government today, I ask, what is it the people in those areas are doing to not clog up their waterways? It is easy to blame the Government, but people need to do their part instead of blaming the Government. I have seen it over and over that Government cleans up a drain or river, and it get clogged up with everything that does not belong in those rivers. Let them cry when they have floods. Plastic bottles, rubber , and every material thing wil cause massive problems to the enviornment. Its high time for Government to hold those responsible and make them pay for their dumping of trash into rivers and streams.

Imbert is a civil engineer and an expert in everything. They could give him the job instead. He could make the recommendation, but let them get someone else to implement it, since implementation and performance were always a PNM weak point. The time frame from idea to action is at least 20 years, conservatively guessing.

We need to understand the problem before attempting solutions. Most folks know what a flood is, and what causes it. Most do not completely understand flash-flooding. But ordinary flooding of the river basin type, is slow to start, follows well after the rain stops, rises to flood stage downstream where tributaries add to the flow, and in case of Trinidad, the estuarian factor plays a role as the river meanders to the coast where the sea and tides combine to exacerbate the floods.

Permeability of the ground is not a major factor in both flood types since in the slow river basin flood, not a lot of the rainwater finds itself in the ground types in Tdad; and in flash floods there is no dwell-time of the water on the surface for sufficient amounts to sink into the soil. But both flood types are worse when the ground is wet and sogged.

Flash-floods are caused by several factors, the major ones being:

--- torrential rainfall (produced by several quick moving thunderstorms, or a single one that is stationary and anchored over a location, such as the Northern Range);

--- fast runoff of rainwater into streams, hillsides and slopes, drains, gullies, (both natural and artificial), and the inability of these drainage systems to cope with the swift deluge;

--- the most natural thing is for the water to rise quickly, fill up the drainage system and overflow;

--- this happens in a matter of minutes and is made worse when drains and streams become blocked by material in the flow such as garbage, vegetation, dumped furniture etc. that pile up and DAM places and force a flow stoppage, that brings water out of the stream and over the banks;

Once the water goes into areas where there is no outlet, it floods those areas and could enter homes in low-lying areas and stay for days. Flash floods happen in unhabited areas too, but the damage to property there is little. Where people live the damage is great and distressing. But residential and town areas, especially those near hillslopes are very vulnerable and the major additional problems come from human land use and abuse. Where trees and other vegetation form a natural slowing down of rainwater flow, their replacement of paved surfaces, rooftops, roads and numerous impermeable objects, force an increased flow into drainage that cannot cope.

The solutions:

--- substantial revegetation as part of laws and regulations in land development and use.

--- increase the volume and number of drainage systems, including some subterranean (where gradient allows) if need be, in developed areas.

--- install storage systems/areas in some locations to temporarily slow/impound water; on slopes, it is possible to have terracing and little tarn-like depressions or lakes, to slow water rushing down;

--- water gushing downhill moves faster to the inadequate drainage, but slowing down this flow by tree barriers and drainage with skewed and oblique aspects downhill will almost alone, prevent floods;

--- of course anti-dumping laws, which are probably in the books, should be enforced;

--- in corollary, ensure that garbage of all types are collected, even if there is a monthly charge to citizens;

There are about a dozen more things to do to alleviate the flash-flood threat, but I showed only a few important ones. Trini culture in politics, disrespect for the land, trees and environment in general militate against the solutions mentioned. The problem is also due to neglect for too long by politicians and technical experts who use schemes to perpetuate the problem while replenishing their pockets.

I have so much to say still, but here I stop. This has been my professional involvement for quite a long time and these facts are well known to many. But who has the will to solve the problem of regular FLASH-floods in TnT?

GrantAdams
Kansas

We the people have a big part to also play . STOP the illegal dumping.
I Landelite

I agree with comments from UsTrini39 and add the following - the Government, Town and Country Planning and other responsible Agencies should not allow any more buildings and housing estates to be erected on our hills and mountains. The Forest Rangers need help from the T&T Regiment to comb the highlands to stop the slash and burn and arrest the persons who are doing this dastardly act. If the trees and vegetation from the hills continue to be removed by cutting them down there will be flooding in the lowlands during the Rainy Season.
The Government can build dams in Central and South-west Trinidad to hold waters from the rivers that flood Caparo, Mamoral, Longdenville, Montrose, Edingburgh, Chaguanas, Felicity, Debe, Penal, Barrackpore etc.
Permission must not be granted for the building of houses or other buildings on or near river banks. Remove and relocate those persons who erected buildings on our river banks.
Then the country will experience great relief from flooding.
To the people of TRINIDAD stop littering our roads, canals, rivers, streams, beaches, villages, districts, towns and cities.

does it really take an expert to tell them that the drains and rivers in the POS area need regular maintenance?

UsTrini39
May I suggest a current topographical map of T&T, along with a geological survey map? . Stop Overbuilding; Get a comprhenshensive land use plan going, repair poor drainage, and yes, stop the littering. Also, very important, build bigger drains, big enough to handle the excess water that the soil cannot absorb. A good plan would allow for 65% permeable soil in suburban areas. There is practically no permeable soil in Port-of -Spain, except the parks and the Savannah. Not a retention pond in sight. P.O.S. needs one the size of the savannah! Ah, but P.O.S. is barely above sea-level? I guess you need new long drainage canals or lines to handle excess water. Large pumps at strategic points. You do need a flooding expert. Henry Ford once said he can do practically anything, as he can always hire an expert to show him what to do(or something like that). Good thinking Jack!

I thought that THEY were the experts in the UNC/COP. Now we are "bringing in" experts???? Start adding up "where the money gone" from now folks.