Diana from JET has asked us to post this document which is a " report on the TB canal done by Smith Warner International, respected coastal engineers."

Here's the summary:
"In summary, it is therefore our opinion that if the drain has been built to the design elevations
shown on the drawings, the pond should be protected from salt water intrusion from less
extreme hurricanes (up to the 1 in 50 year event approximately) but will be exposed to
intrusion during major events such as hurricanes similar to Ivan in 2004. Storm surges from
any category of hurricane will cause a back-up of water in the pond, but we cannot say to
what degree, if at all, this will cause flooding to the surrounding areas without detailed
hydraulic simulations that look at the combined effect of rainfall and surges. Finally, the end of
the drain needs to be appropriately protected from damage by wave attack.

We recommend the following actions be carried out to properly assess the issues identified as
being of some concern:
i. A survey along the invert of the drain to determine whether it has been built to the
correct elevations and sloped appropriately from the pond down to the shoreline.
ii. A storm surge assessment to determine actual surge estimates to be expected from
different hurricanes at the site.
iii. A joint hydraulic and storm surge assessment to look at whether the surrounding
community would be at risk from increased flood levels caused from the combined
effects of rainfall and surge. "


You can download a full PDF copy here:

0 Rapid Assesment of NWA Drain for JET.pdf (309.3 k)

Hope this report prompts some action; thanks for posting it. I notice that some of the observations parallel those of my Corps of Engineers friend about two years ago, regarding drainage of silt into the sea or the pond.

Re # 2: Khus Khus Grass or Matt Grass, Vetiveria Zizanoides, was planted on banksides in St Mary and other Parishes for soil retention in colonial times. An introduced species, it seems to have not caused any adverse effects. Diana?

The root balls can be massive and create a web tying the surrounding soil in place.

The brawta is that the roots contain an essential oil used for many purposes. The roots also used to be pressed/plaited into fans that when damped give breeze and sweetness.

Aloe Vera (also an introduced plant), mints, rosemary etc could be interplanted.

Grass planted along the bottom, should tolerate a periodic sea water soaking. Mesh could be initially laid and stabilised with boulders to give added protection. The grass etc will grow through the spaces and tie it down. The roots will then be inaccesible for periodic harvesting.

Simple, cheap, beautiful and with those brawtas.

Wish I was there for a day trip to the St Mary hills and a day of guerilla gardening the next day. "Yes hafisa, is turey do it sah!".

And yes Ashamed of NWA, flower pots. One big flower pot. At least where the soil is bare.

The concrete part could also be gardened. It would be a bit more radical.

Major hurricanes to hit Jamaica and cause catastrophic damage:

1951 - Charlie
1998 - Gilbert
2004 - Ivan
2007 - Dean

Anyone notice a trend?

And, how many people recall other hurricanes and tropical storms, not necessarily considered "major" (by the powers that be) that badly flooded TB?

Don't make me younger (:>)

Hurricane Wilma was the one which caused the flooding in Great Bay. It never even 'hit' Jamaica only coming within about 250 miles of Jamaica. But the outer bands hanging over us for two weeks is what caused the rains and the flooding.

Hurricane Charlie which hit us 2 weeks previous to Ivan was a catagory 1 hurricane which dropped 7 inches of rain in 11 hours and caused lots of flooding in the area including Great Bay.

I know that the rain from Wilma badly flooded TB.

Sorry on Gilbert. Typo. I knew better as we tried to reach people to see if they were alive, but there was no phone service in TB at the time, either land lines or cellular.

After Ivan we went out to the beach early the morning to see the biggest waves I ever seen like 40 feet high crashing. Cacona across from the women group lost their bluff and the house nearly fell in the sea. No way the canal can stop that from flooding Great Bay.

Hurricane Wilma dumped so much water on TB that about 1/4 of the sports park land was under water, as much as three feet deep in the road that BREDS plans to use as an exit out Fisherman's Club Lane.