Earl Moxam will be hosting a small piece on the canal tonight on the TVJ news at 7:00. You can live stream the news on www.televisionjamaica.com.

This is the direct link to the story, aired last night:

http://www.televisionjamaica.com/Programmes/PrimeTimeNews.aspx/Videos/27508

When we were overseeing the construction of the new Harbour View Sewage Plant in Kingston, the same issue of a drain leading directly into the sea came up. The drain was necessary to avoid flooding on land, but we did not want to channel silt and debris into the sea. The engineers designed what they called an earth drain, which was constructed with loosely packed gabion baskets, with dirt in the spaces, and then wild cane was planted in the dirt. The plants grew very quickly and now you can't see the drain and the plants act as a filter to the run off from the land and reduces (although does not eliminate) the amount of silt which gets into the sea The drain works even in storm conditions. What the NWA has done in Treasure Beach is going to result in heavily silted run off into the sea and therefore adverse impacts to the marine environment.

Diana from JET

Nice NWA, nice...

Photos taken today after heavy rainfall on Monday night.

Taken from the bridge next to the Women's Group facing Great Pond


Taken from the bridge facing the sea.


Taken from the bridge by Marblue looking back to the bridge at the Women's Group


Taken from the bridge by Marblue facing the sea.


Exit of the canal to the sea


Proximity of the canal exit to the sea.

Great engineering. NOT

This is an ongoing embarrassment and disaster.

Whoever designed this horror--whoever approved the engineering--and whoever approved the funding that could have been better spent on things the community needed: They should all hang their heads in shame.

People there have no shame. Shortsightedness is the norm. Get used to it.

Sooooo true Karen,

Looking at the photo "exit of the canal to the sea", the erosion of the sand is only going to get worse to the point where a section of the canal will eventually collapse because there wont be any sand or dirt left to hold up the structure. This would be an eye sore for years to come. What is needed urgently is what's called a "Rip Rap" which is basically rocks dump there to prevent further erosion. This would help whether water is coming from the pond or from the sea during a hurricane. To prevent further erosion, an "Energy Dissipator" could also be built in the canal close to the end to slow down the speed of the water before it leaves canal. This involves cementing a few concrete blocks in the structure in such a way that the water will get through but at a much lower rate. These methods are commonly used and they are relatively inexpensive to construct.

Hopefully the minister of health comes and spray against mosquitos in the standing water,
Thank you for the pics,looks great,all the mud goes now in the sea again,than later to the other beaches and fishing beaches.
WELL DONE NWA

An astute observation Canada. Something like the pilings on the Great Bay Beach would be an excellent idea to stem any erosion. [edited by TB.Net]

Why don't people heed Diana McCaulay? Jamaica could have no better advocate for their environment and for their future. She has been around, is well-trained and knows her stuff; she speaks plain.

Karen Kennedy also speaks plain when she says whoever approved the non-plan for the canal should "all hang their heads in shame." But perhaps so should those who knew that that the thing wouldn't work, yet didn't rally to stop it when it might have been stopped.

Diane McCaulay is the one to consult about the fix for the canal. How longer will this dreadful mess go without proper fixing? But will people listen, now, at last, to what she says about the fix? - Gabions, etc.

I'd love to be able to offer Diana room and board whenever she wants to be here. We would all benefit from her presence.