E2022
Supplemental Environmental Assessment1
Extension of Dennery River Flood Mitigation Works
Disaster Management Project II, Additional Financing
July 31, 2008
Introduction and Background
The Second Disaster Management Project (DMP II) was made effective in
October 27, 2004. Under that project, flood mitigation works located along the
Dennery River were rehabilitated to improve flood protection against hurricane
related storm surge for the village of Dennery. The works consisted of the
restoration of approximately 150 meters of an existing flood mitigation levee
located along the northern margin of the Dennery River extending east to
Dennery Bay. These works consisted of the rehabilitation of the earthen berm
restoring it to its design height and the installation of rock armor along the levee’s
river side exposure.
During the construction of this earthwork, an engineering assessment was
performed to evaluate the adequacy of the existing system and concluded that
that, while helpful, these works did not provide adequate flood protection from
foreseeable extreme storm events.
The assessment recommended the
construction of an additional 100 meters of levee completing the system from the
bay to the Dennery River Bridge. The completion of this system will close the
remaining flood protection gap and greatly improve the operation and security of
the flood protection system.
Existing Situation
Dennery is a fishing village located on the east coast of St. Lucia. It is
characterized as an agricultural community of low to moderate income. The
community is highly vulnerable to storm surge and hurricane forces and, in the
past, has suffered severe damages from flooding and storm related forces.
During the initial World Bank financed Disaster Management program
(Emergency Recovery and Disaster Management Project), a study was
undertaken which recommended that a sea defense system be constructed to
protect the village from future storm related events. The system was also
designed to reclaim eroded beach area along the Dennery bay, an area where
past hurricanes had removed some 20 meters of beach front over a 40 year
period. Under DMP II, the sea defense works were completed and included the
construction of a 415 meter long buried revetment and the construction of three
offshore breakwaters. In addition, river flood defenses were rehabilitated to
mitigate storm surge flood exposures along the southern end of the village. This
has been a source of flooding which had historically resulted major damages to
the village. These defenses consist of a levee system extending from the bay for
1
The original EA is dated Feb. 26, 2004.
some 150 meters along the northern bank of the Dennery River. The works are
approximately 4 meters high and approximately 6 meters wide. The levee is of
earth construction and is covered with rock armor protecting the river exposure of
the structure.
An additional 100 meters of river bank remain unprotected, extending from the
western end of the existing structure to the Dennery river bridge. According to
engineering calculations performed during the rehabilitation work, this gap still
allows for the potential of catastrophic flooding under foreseeable major storm
event conditions. With the availability of funding provided under the Additional
Financing agreement, the Government of Saint Lucia elected to take the
opportunity to complete the flood control works in order to maximize protection
for the community.
Description of the Project
Under this project, approximately 100 meters of levee will be constructed along
the northern bank of the Dennery River. The works will extend the existing levee
closing the final gap in the flood protection system along that river. The levee will
be of the same design as the existing system consisting of an earthen berm with
rock armor on the river exposure approximately 4 meters high and 6 meters
wide. Construction will involve the placement of fill material along the river bank
using a combination of heavy equipment and hand labor. Work is expected to
take some six (6) months. Construction material will be transported from
Government approved quarry facilities and trucked to the construction site. The
work is confined to the river embankment and no changes to the flow dynamics
of the river system will be made.
Once levee construction is completed, the contractor will stabilize the works with
erosion control vegetation as approved by the Ministry of Communications,
Works, Transport and Public Utilities (MCWT&PU). Project supervision will be
under the direction of MCWT&PU as was the case with the initial rehabilitation
works.
Description of the Environment
The construction area on the north bank passes through several parcels of
private land which are characterized as idle agricultural lands or old-field
environment. These lands have not been in active production for several years
and are overgrown with grasses and shrubs as well as pioneer coconut palms.
The south bank of the river is the principal flood plain and is composed of
mangrove wetlands. This area will not be disturbed during construction.
No structures are located in the construction area and lands surrounding the
works are privately owned.
Social Issues
During the design of the works planned under this project, initial surveys
identified that the works would be constructed on private lands. This triggered
Bank safeguard Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12. During preparation, the
PCU, with the assistance of the team’s social development specialist, designed a
compliance program to be implemented by the Government of St. Lucia for the
execution of a land acquisition program. The government has complied in all
respects with this plan and all lands required for the project are now owned by
the Government.
During the execution of the plan, the government took several meetings with the
community and the landowners to explain the project and its goals and impacts.
The plan was well received by the community and the community is looking
forward to the completion of the works.
Anticipated Environmental Impacts
The impacts resulting from the project are wholly beneficial to the community as
the works will serve to mitigate the impacts from potential flooding during storm
events. Negative impacts such as noise, dust generation, erosion are typical of
those associated with small construction works. A framework is already in place
with the project to manage such impacts through the addition of environmental
performance clauses to the works contract. Negative impacts associated with
the project will be confined to the construction phase and are temporary in
nature. No non-mitigatible negative impacts have been identified in association
with these works.
Environmental Management
Consistent with the requirements of DMP II as presented in the project
operations manual, environmental management will be accomplished through the
use of contract environmental compliance clauses and a plan for periodic
inspection on the part of the Government of Saint Lucia to ensure compliance.
This system has been used throughout the Disaster Management Project and
has worked well with previous construction works.
In addition to the implementation of good practices during the construction
phase, the contractor will be required to hold periodic meetings with the
community to apprise them of activities to be expected. An inception meeting will
be held prior to the start of construction to present the construction program plan.
The PCU will take advantage of this meeting to coordinate with the Ministry of
Physical Development in reinforcing the need to maintain vigilance over public
lands and prohibit illegal occupation of reclaimed lands created with the
construction of the sea defenses under DMP II.
Specifically, the following environmental activities will be undertaken to ensure
the project proceeds as planned:

The Contractor together with the Government of Saint Lucia will hold an
initial meeting with the Dennery community to present the construction
plan.

The contractor shall schedule periodic meetings with the community to
apprise them of progress and any changes to the program that may occur
once construction has begun.

MCWT&PU together with the PCU shall develop a maintenance plan for
the river defense works to include community responsibilities and present
this plan to the community representatives.
This plan shall assign
specific responsibilities for system maintenance and shall be developed as
a formal agreement between the community and National Government.

During the construction phase, MCWT&PU shall supervise and report on
work progress and environmental compliance. Inspections will be made
biweekly as construction progresses. Copies of field reports shall be
provided to the PCU.

The Ministry of Physical Development (MOPD) shall maintain vigilance
over the completed works to ensure that future illegal encroachment does
not occur to damage or affect the performance of the levee system.

MCWT&PU will provide the contractor with approved specifications for
slope stabilization and re-vegetation so as to ensure erosion is properly
controlled.
Reporting and Bank Supervision
Progress reports shall be filed with the PCU during the execution of the works.
Bank supervision and surveillance will be conducted during the regular
supervision missions planned for the execution of the Additional Financing phase
of the DMP II project.