Somerset more prepared for hurricane season this time around

A cash crop farmer, Marsha normally enjoys the rain and its benefits to her harvest but warns that in Somerset, St. Thomas “when it falls to an extent, sometimes you have to look and listen because it’s very hard.”

This hurricane season however Marsha who lives on the hillside is more hopeful about the impact of the rain and the potential for landslides. Last year three check dams were constructed in the crevices of the mountainsides; one a few metres away from Marsha’s house. The purpose of the check dam is to “prevent the sand, silt and debris from coming down and covering the entire community,” explains project coordinator for the EU/Christian Aid Creating Sustainable Livelihoods Project Claudia Sewell. The installation and maintenance of check dams will also contribute to effective environmental management, and will greatly reduce costs to repair community infrastructure such as roads and drains following heavy rains. Furthermore check dams serve to simultaneously replenish groundwater reserves and under the project the water trapped behind the dam will be made available for irrigation, livestock and domestic needs. 

The first three dams were constructed as a key component of phase 1 of the Sustainable Livelihoods Project and right now another check dam is being built as part of phase 2. Completion is set for end of June. Reforestation, another critical component of the initiative, is complementary to the check dams since it helps to prevent soil erosion and reduces overall environmental degradation. This activity should make significant headway in a couple months. This is certainly good news for the people of Somerset but Marsha soberly reminds that “from the (first three) check dams build the rain hasn’t come down as yet, we don’t have a hard rain from that.” 

So now with an active hurricane season in the forecast the check dams will be put to the test. Regardless of the outcome however the Somerset community is in a much more secure position than it was a year ago. In addition to the millions of dollars provided by the EU and ChristianAid to acquire resources for the project and the implementing work carried out by the Women’s Resource and Outreach Centre WROC Ltd., community members have also played their part by offering labour free of cost. Now with the 2010 hurricane season upon us, Marsha and all the other stakeholders wait to see the gust of their efforts. For more information on this project please send your emails to communications@wrocjamaica.org