As serious dry season unfolds, Guyana assessing how much water it needs to store

Guyana is set to experience a prolonged period of drought this year and President Dr. Irfaan Ali says local authorities are assessing the situation to determine how much water must be stored.

A drought results in reduced rainfall and drier conditions.  As such, President Ali told reporters that the country has to focus on managing water resources. This is especially critical for the agricultural sector.

“One of the things that we have to do is what we call Integrated Water Resource Management.

“So, water resource management becomes very important in situations like this, but it’s a very thin line between keeping the storage facility at an optimum level and having a one-off event where the intensity of rainfall is so high that we have seen, that being at an optimum level, creates other problems for flooding,” Dr. Ali explained at a press conference on Wednesday.

And he highlighted that an assessment to determine how much water must be stored is being completed now.

In April, local Climatologist, Komal Dhiram said Guyana would experience a period of prolonged drought when the rainy season ends in July because of the emerging El Niño.

La Niña conditions were experienced at least over the past two years. Because of that, the country faced wetter-than-usual conditions, resulting in above-normal rainfall during some months.

An El Niño period, which usually encompasses drier-than-normal conditions, usually follows the La Niña, Dhiram had said.

Further, the local Hydrometeorological Service, in a press release issued in June, said El Niño will be the main driver of local weather for the remainder of the year. This would result in drier conditions.

And it recommended that communities dependent on rain-fed agriculture and large-scale water users, it was recommended that rainwater be harvested to compensate for any deficiencies expected during El Niño.

Additionally, it was noted that shelters should be provided for animals to keep them cool.