INVESTIGATION OF THE WATERCOURSES AND MEASURES TO ALLEVIATE

INVESTIGATION OF THE WATERCOURSES AND MEASURES TO ALLEVIATE FLOODING IN THE PENAL/ DEBE REGION Nadine Sangster 1, Jorrel Bisnath 2, Aatma Maharajh 3, Allen Sammy 4 1, 2, 3 Design and Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago 4 Penal/Debe Regional Corporation, Trinidad ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

INTRODUCTION • Over the past few years, flooding has impacted residents of the Penal/Debe region tremendously causing losses to property, livestock and agriculture. • The region is heavily populated with approximately 90, 000 persons within 250 km 2. • The areas of interest within this study are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Bronte Rochard/Barrackpore East Barrackpore West Debe East/Esperance/Union Hall Palmiste/Hermitage 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Penal La Fortune Quinam/Morne Diablo Debe West Woodland ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

OBJECTIVES • To understand possible causes of flooding, effects and recommendations regarding the alleviation of such in the Penal/Debe Region. ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

METHODOLOGY • Review of the area and scale of the problem • Survey of residents affected to understand the human impact of flooding in the area • Examination of current infrastructure. • Development of alleviation solutions. ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

REVIEW OF FLOODING IN THE REGION Topographic Map of Penal Debe Region. [1] ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

REVIEW OF FLOODING IN THE REGION Flood Susceptibility map of Trinidad and Tobago [2] ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

REVIEW OF FLOODING IN THE REGION • Other Factors – Unplanned / Illegal Development – Squatting • as much as 50, 000 persons may be found in the Woodland, South Oropouche and Fyzabad area ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

REVIEW OF FLOODING IN THE REGION Instances and causes of flooding from 2016 to 2018 [3 -12] ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

HUMAN IMPACT • 332 residents from the susceptible areas were surveyed regarding the effect of the flooding in the region The severity of flooding within the Penal Debe Region expressed by the residents ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

HUMAN IMPACT The estimated loss of the items - flooding victims ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

HUMAN IMPACT Types of items lost Residents’ view of the causes of flooding ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

INFRASTRUCTURE • Drainage – Under–sized drains • Over 50 years old • In some areas only 6” deep – Consistency of drainage • Several bottlenecking points Earthen drain on Pluck Road, La Fortune – Drain Maintenance • Weeds, dirt and other trapped items ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

INFRASTRUCTURE • Areas identified for maintenance include: – New Colonial Road Barrackpore, – Gopie Trace, – The Numbers Barrackpore, – Suchit Trace, – Lower Barrackpore, – Ramdharry Trace, – Derrick Road, – Goodman Trace, – Mahadeo Trace, – Penal Rock Road. – Ragbir Trace, – Rahamut Road, – Boodoo Trace Branch 1 & 2, – Pluck Road. – Siew Trace, ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

RECOMMENDATIONS • Rivers – Channelization – Redevelopment of meanders – Retaining walls – Construction of Gabions and Reno Mattresses – Retention Ponds/Dams – Vegetation of wetlands – Addressing Climate Change • Education • Flooding Hardware ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

CONCLUSION • Major Causes of flooding in the region were identified to be relief and contour of the land as well as man made interference. • The impact of flooding on people in the area was presented • Findings based on the examination of infrastructure described and recommendations to alleviate flooding were offered ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Topographic-map, (2018). Trinidad and Tobago Retrieved from: http: //en-gb. topographic-map. com/places/Trinidad-and. Tobago-8262237/ ODPM, (2011), Version 1. Flood Susceptibility Map: Trinidad. Retrieved from http: //www. odpm. gov. tt/node/318 V. Achibar, (2018). Debe residents counting flood losses. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved from: https: //newsday. co. tt/2018/08/16/debe-residents-counting-flood-losses/ C News, (2017). Hundreds affected by flood waters. Retrieved from: http: //ctvtt. com/ctv/index. php/cnews/item/49415 -hundreds-affected-by-flood-waters-in-penal-debe R. De Silva, (2018). Flood Waters rising across T&T. Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved from: http: //www. guardian. co. tt/news/flood-waters-rising-across-tt-6. 2. 695035. 18 d 2 c 243 a 1 R. Dhalai, (2018). Floods in Penal, Barrackpore. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved from: https: //newsday. co. tt/2018/11/15/floods-in-penal-barrackpore/ Met Service, (2018). Climate. Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service. Retrieved from: https: //www. metoffice. gov. tt/Climate S. Rampersad, (2016). Debe Floods Cause Thousands in damage. Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved from: http: //www. guardian. co. tt/news/debe-floods-cause-thousands-damage-6. 2. 355300. 30 e 12 fd 789 Reliefweb, (2017). Public Advisory #4 – Saturday 30 th December, 2017 – 7: 00 pm. Retrieved From: https: //reliefweb. int/report/trinidad-and-tobago/public-advisory-4 -saturday-30 th-december-2017 -700 -pm S. Santoo, (2018). Flood fear rising in Penal/ Debe. Sunday Express. Retrieved from: https: //www. trinidadexpress. com/news/local/flood-fear-rising-in-penal-debe/article_55 d 660 c 6 -ba 80 -11 e 8 -b 7 f 11 bd 79 df 48838. html Trinidad and Tobago Weather Center, (2017). Major flooding in the Penal/ Debe Region. Retrieved from https: //www. facebook. com/TTWeather. Center/posts/major-flooding-within-the-penaldebe-regionareas-affected-includenew-colonial-ro/1609713912381986/ S. Wilson, (2016). Floods in Debe and POS. Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved From: https: //www. guardian. co. tt/news/floods-debe-and-pos-6. 2. 357392. 86 bc 29 c 74 a ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

THANK YOU! ICon. ETech-2020, Faculty of Engineering, The UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago