A solution to the City Camp lagoon flooding

>> Tuesday, August 14, 2012


BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P.Dizon

BAGUIO CITY -- Despite repeated de-clogging activities by the city government to prevent flooding at the City Camp Lagoon, Typhoon Gener once more proved the problem is not over.
           
Every year, hundreds of families have to relocate to escape the flooding during storms in the area. The city government earlier installed a drainage system which somehow eased the flooding, but then, garbage always clogged the water exit blocking water flow. 
           
This had been a perennial problem of the city government. In this light, Councilor Peter C. Fianza last Monday filed with the city council two proposed legislative measures offering measures that might solve the problem.  
           
A report by Briccio Domondon, city council information officer said Fianza’s first proposal was a resolution recommending a coordinated study on all waterways leading to the lagoon for rerouting to another waterway.
           
In his explanation, Fianza noted that large volumes of water from Quezon Hill, Dominican Hill and from other elevated areas contributed to  flooding of the lagoon, and waterways leading to the lagoon appear dangerous because they are too narrow to accommodate volume of water channeled through it from elevated areas.
           
He believes waters flowing into the lagoon from elevated areas can be channeled to other waterways and need not pass through the lagoon.
           
Besides, he said, “a more positive approach focused on preventing the perennial flooding at the lagoon is needed and will have to be adapted taking into consideration climate change predictions of extreme and radical events such as floods occurring more frequently and more severely. There is now a need for the city to also consider an integrated and comprehensive drainage system in all areas of the city.”
           
He cited the tremendous amount of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina which could have been avoided substantially if the affected states had such intricate flood control system as the Netherlands.
           
His second legislative proposal was an ordinance that would direct installation of water level measuring markers in rivers, major waterways, at the lagoon and other usually flooded areas in the city and the appropriation of funds for the purpose.                        

Fianza said that the city was recently provided with an automated rain gauge (ARG) and a mechanical or manually operated rain gauge, complementing other rain gauges already installed in the city, in line with project NOAH or the National Operational Assessment of Hazards launched by the Department of Science and Technology to put in place a responsive program for disaster prevention and mitigation, and providing a six hour lead-time warning to vulnerable communities against impending floods.
           
However, for local impact or use of the readings or data supplied by these rain gauges, Fianza suggested that water level monitoring stations (WLMS) will have to be established in the city to have accurate records of water levels that validate analysis and interpretation of recorded rainfall.
           
“Unfortunately, project NOAH has prioritized establishment of monitoring stations in the major river basins of the country leaving the city to find ways and means to gather needed interpretative data relative to the use or value of recorded rainfall in the locality”, he said.
           
Thus to start with, he said, “there is a need to place or install measuring markers in waterways and in usually flooded areas like the City Camp Lagoon, with the end in view of using these markers as references making recording easier and more accurate.
           
Both of these legislative proposals have been referred to the city council’s committee on environment for study and recommendation.

1 comments:

Anonymous August 14, 2012 at 10:02 PM  

MONEY,MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, MONEY AND AGAIN MONEY FOR THE CITY CAMP DRAINAGE BUT " STILL SAME PROCEDURE EVERY YEAR IN BASURA CITY."

  © Blogger templates Palm by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP  

Web Statistics