DPWH lines up projects to save Dagupan from floods
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has proposed the construction starting next year of a 1.5 kilometer river bank protection wall along the Pantal River to mitigate the regular flooding, even in the absence of rains, in several low-lying barangays in the southern part of Dagupan.
This is separate from the Agno Flood Control Office’s (AFCO) ongoing construction of a Gabion-type wall along the Pantal River and the planned dredging of all silted rivers with the assistance of the Bureau of Equipment of the DPWH.
The DPWH project, also called gravity wall, is included in the programs of the second highway engineering district for calendar year 2014, said Elpidio Paragas, district engineer.
Paragas said the project, costing P40 million, will address the flooding in Barangays Malued, Lasip Chico, Lasip Grande, Bacayao, Tapuac and Lucao.
He said he already discussed the project with Mayor Belen Fernandez and Dagupan City Engineer Virginia Rosario when he recently made a courtesy call.
Stretching 1,500 lineal meters or 1.5 kilometers, the project will prevent water at the Pantal River from overflowing to the residential communities in case of prolonged rains in the upland areas.
“So, with this initial project, we can at least make Dagupan flood-free,” said Paragas in an interview.
The Pantal River draws water from the Sinocalan River in adjacent Sta. Barbara town which is connected upland.
Noting that Dagupan is below sea level, Paragas proposed the construction of a combination of river revetments and floodgates to prevent the back-flow of water from the river to drainage canals, including the downtown areas, during high tides.
He added that there is also a need to install pumping units to drain the water in some of the flooded areas.
Establishments in Dagupan’s central business district along A.B. Fernandez Avenue are flooded every rise of tidal water and the business owners end up pumping out water instead.
“These projects will involve a big amount of money but the DPWH, Agno Flood Control Office and the Dagupan City government can pool their resources to build these structures to finally ease the floods in the city,” Paragas added.
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