The impact of flooding is expected to ease in the Navua Delta as the dredging works in the river got underway recently.

Dredging works will allow for an increased flow capacity with the removal of silt and sand forming at the mouth of the river.

This will also improve access navigation to islands outside the Navua periphery and those that are using Navua River as their route for transportation.

Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary Mr. Mason Smith said that this is one of the major activities undertaken by the Department of Agriculture under its Land and Water Resource Management (LWRM) Division.

“Once the dredging works is completed, it is expected that approximately a total of 500,000m³ of dredged materials will be removed from the river which will be dumped at four different dump sites alongside the Navua River,” said Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith said that with the dredging works in Navua River, farming and business communities in Navua can be assisted so that the area will be more resilient to the impact of flooding.

“People had suffered a lot in the past when the low lying areas become flooded during heavy rains and this is one of the major reasons for dredging.”

He said that this dredging works will be a big relief to the farming communities along the Navua delta who had suffered during the heavy rains and floods.

The total proposed length of the dredge channel is 3.39 kilometers of which 1.59 kilometers will be inland while the offshore length will be 1.80 kilometers.

The dredging works is being carried out by the China Railway First Group Limited at a cost of $4,000,000.00 and is expected to be completed in about 6 months’ time.

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