INDRHI warns "all the reservoirs in the country are at critical levels"

SANTO DOMINGO. All of the nation's reservoirs are at critical levels. This was the warning issued by the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI), the head agency the Water Monitoring Board, and which weekly evaluates the availability of water in the country and the short and medium term perspectives.

Olgo Fernandez, the director of the Institute, explained that in spite of the fact that the reservoirs that supply the provinces of Peravia, San Cristobal, Santo Domingo and the National District, are in a major critical situation, "the remaining reservoirs of the country are also in a critical situation. They are in the red."

Fernandez punctuated his remarks saying that "when a reservoir is in the red, it is because it is below its normal level and after it goes down it must be kept under observation and operate it in the programmed manner as done by the commission for Monitoring." He pointed out that the reservoirs of Tavera, Baja Angostura, Sabana Yegua "have to reprogram their operation levels because they are going down. Sabaneta is the same."

This indicates that the country is still affected by the seasonal drought that has hit us these last months."

He indicated that this situation will not be overcome "until there are heavy rains and the watersheds are soaked with water and the ground saturated, so that the rains that fall can drain into the dams. This is what we are hoping will happen in the coming days."

Slight improvements

The INDRHI revealed that the situation of the reservoirs basically has Valdesia, Jigüey, and Aguacate that are in the worst situation, experiencing a slight improvement which is to say that the latest rains that have fallen have helped to maintain the levels, but this does not mean that the critical situation has been overcome."

He pointed out that slight increases have permitted that "the availability of water for a larger number of days has improved, and we have increased the volume of water supplied to Greater Santo Domingo and we hope that we can give two day of irrigation through the Marco Cabral Canal for farmers in San Cristobal and Bani."

Optimism over tropical wave

The director of the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), Gloria Ceballos, reported yesterday that in the mountain systems of the country the rains continue producing, which could maintain water levels, due to the effects of a high level trough.

She revealed that they are constantly watching a tropical wave that in currently to the east of the Lesser Antilles and has a high probability of gaining strength.

Olgo Fernandez said that the effects of this tropical wave "would be passing over the country" starting on Saturday and that if the forecasts are accurate, "this would help a lot."