Cunha Canal Rehabilitation Project

The Cunha Canal Rehabilitation Project aimed to enhance the discharge capacity of the canal and mitigate the risks of embankment overtopping and flooding along the East Bank of the Demerara. This initiative forms part of Guyana’s strategy to adapt to flooding, potentially rejuvenating previously inundated farmlands and bolstering dam stability in the southwestern section of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC).

Through successful rehabilitation efforts, the Cunha Canal now serves as a vital drainage artery for the East Demerara Water Conservancy, playing a crucial role in alleviating flooding along the East Bank of Demerara. Key components of the rehabilitation included refurbishing sluices, constructing a public road bridge over the canal, and widening, deepening, and realigning the waterway to its original course. 

Rehabilitating the Cunha Canal will improve its discharge capacity, thereby improving the drainage capacity of the EDWC system. The EDWC is currently drained through only five outlets: the Lama and Maduni outlets draining into the Mahaica River to the east, and through the five-door Land of Canaan, Kofi and currently poorly-operational Cunha canals draining into the Demerara River to the west. Once operational, the Hope-Dochfour relief channel will allow further drainage into the Atlantic Ocean to the north. Rehabilitation of the Cunha Canal will allow additional discharge capacity into the Demerara River, helping to reduce the risk of water levels exceeding the safe operating level of the EDWC dam, which would stress the dam and potentially lead to catastrophic breaching and flooding. The beneficiaries in this case are principally the citizens of Georgetown (estimated population of 118,363 people, including the City and suburbs12), and residents, commercial and industrial establishments and farmers in the

RESULTS

Under the project, the channel was re-routed along its original alignment, widened and excavated to remove the earth fill and weeds that allow for a straight flow into the Demerara River that eliminates hydraulic restrictions. Additionally, 2 slices were rehabilitated: the first sluice, which serves as a regulator for water releases from the conservancy, and the second, which controls the discharge of water and prevents water from the Demerara River from entering the canal during high tide. A new bridge was constructed at the point where the canal intercepts the EBD Public Road to allow for vehicular traffic. 

The rehabilitation of the Cunha Canal has improved the discharge capacity of the EDWC, which was being drained through only five outlets: the Lama and Maduni outlets draining into the Mahaica River to the east, and through the five-door Land of Canaan, Kofi and currently poorly operational Cunha canals draining into the Demerara River to the west, the Hope-Dochfour drainage into the Atlantic Ocean to the north and with the rehabilitation of the Cunha Canal additional discharge capacity is provided into the Demerara River, helping to reduce the risk of water levels exceeding the safe operating level of the EDWC dam, which would stress the dam and potentially lead to catastrophic breaching and flooding. In this case, the beneficiaries are the citizens of Georgetown (estimated population of 118,363 people, including the city and suburbs12), residents, commercial and industrial establishments, and farmers in region 4.