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Water levels are beginning to recede in Dominica's lakes and rivers
Although Dominica is not under drought alert as is the case in a number of the islands in the south-eastern Caribbean, authorities and relevant stakeholders here are expressing concern over the drought conditions affecting the island.
Sheryl Etienne-LeBlanc, Senior Meteorological Officer (Ag) at Dominica Meteorological Services issued a report today on the below-average rainfall being experienced.
According to the report “from October 2009, the western coast of Dominica (TDCF) has been experiencing below average rainfall while, the Eastern coast began experiencing similar conditions from December 2009. (These conclusions were drawn based on rainfall recorded at the Canefield and Melville Hall Airports which are located on the west and east coast respectfully.)
From October to December 2009, the Canefield Airport recorded below average rainfall ranging from 10% to 30 %.
The Melville Hall Airport recorded 91.2mm or 3.6ins in December. This was the driest December on record (over 41yrs) for that station and this amount accounted for just 40% of the normal December rainfall.
For 2010, rainfall totals continue to plummet below the normal levels across the island.
On the West Coast:
January’s total of 32.8mm or 1.5ins was the lowest since 2001 based on the twenty-eight (28) year record at the Canefield Airport. This amount accounted for 30% of the January’s average.
February’s total was just 0.4mm or 0.02in making it the lowest on record at the Canefield Airport, this was a mere 0.6% of the average February rainfall at that station.
On the East Coast:
January’s total of 76.1mm or 3.0ins was the lowest in the past 19yrs (1991). This level accounted for 55% of the normal January rainfall.
February’s total was 4.2mm or 0.2in which was the lowest on the 42yr old record at the Melville Hall Airport. February’s total accounted for just 4% of the normal February total.
It can be noted here that the driest period on the west coast is between March and April while on the Eastern coast the driest months are February and March. The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology has been monitoring the drought conditions across the Eastern Caribbean and will issue an outlook on the months ahead in the coming week. The Met Office will inform the public on the likely trend of the drought conditions when that information becomes available.
Meanwhile, Dowasco has commenced a water conservation campaign and the Met Office encourages all citizens to adhere to the regulations stipulated by the company and make every effort to conserve water as much as possible. Farmers will have to make some important farming decisions and the necessary precaution has to be taken with regards to bush fires to protect life and property since the driest months are still ahead.
During the 13 years since I made Dominica my home, I have never seen our rivers so low. And that is the large ones, for many of the smaller rivers have dried up completely, and the regional drought shows no immediate sings of abating. Yet it is only a few months since I was reading about a handful of greedy people set to make their fortunes by selling Dominica’s prime resource – WATER. Not just a modest amount, but in the region of 10 billion gallons a year! Have you seen an environmental impact assessment? I certainly have not. I have no objection to Dominica selling some of its surplus water to help others, in particular our less fortunate neighbouring islands which get rather less rain than we do. BUT ONLY if it is Dominica as a whole that benefits from the proceeds and NOT private individuals or companies, local or foreign, out to feather their own nests. Still fresh in my mind is the sale of DOMLEC, our state owned electricity generating company in the late 90’s to a foreign corporation – at such a low price that they are reported to have recovered the cost of their investment within 2 years. Since that moment in history, an outside company has been profiting at the expense of the Dominican consumer and Dominica no longer has control over its own energy policy. If Dominica is not to remain forever poor, we must not repeat the mistakes of the past. Our natural resources – our forests, rivers, agriculture, coral reefs and whatever lies beneath the soil – should be fiercely guarded against the sort of exploitation which degrades the landscape and sees little or no revenue flowing into Dominica’s own coffers.