Reduction meets the goal of lowering the level below 7.5 meters; as of now, we expect only to perform maintenance and cleaning
Almost 40 days after reopening the Pequeno river canal that flows into the Juparana lagoon, the water level has already gone down 1.49 meters and has reached 7.49 meters. On September 22, when the canal was reopened after the works to expand it to increase the flow, the level dropped to almost 9 meters.
The lower volume of water in the lagoon also reflects in the flow of the canal, which on Sunday (28) was 19.96 m3/s.
This reduction complies with the first goal established by the Renova Foundation to get the level of the Juparana lagoon between 6.5 meters and 7.5 meters. With this measure, flooded areas are getting back to normal. As of now, maintenance and cleaning is only expected during the rainy season.
Wilians Arruda, a Projects and Construction specialist at the Renova Foundation, explains that the reduced lagoon level aims to guarantee the region’s safety during the rainy season, which runs until March 2019. “The level continues to drop and can reach 6.5 meters, which is the minimum level for the river channel. It is worth mentioning that all the efforts and resources that were put into this were in light of this goal, and it was successfully achieved.”
During the week that the canal was being reopened, the 56 families who live downstream of the river were relocated to temporary housing or hotels paid for by the Renova Foundation. Currently, 27 families have gone back home, and the situation of each is being monitored by means of an emergency plan to ensure safety during the rainy season.
For this reason, the Renova Foundation, Linhares Civil Defense and the Fire Department carried out an evacuation simulation to prepare residents in an emergency situation, according to what was established by the Risk Management Plan. The training simulated a possible rupture of the barrier and showed residents what immediate safety measures should be taken. It is worth mentioning that this is a preventative measure.