Flood barriers construction in Inner Harbor only after 2021

The construction of flood barriers (levees) in low-lying areas of the city and namely the Inner Harbor, was previously announced by the government as a measure to prevent some storm surge flooding in the area are to be built after 2021. This has been acknowledged by the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) during a meeting held with Macau’s Inner Harbor Friends Association to gauge the flood prevention works that have been done in the area.

According to a statement issued by DSAMA, the bureau has concluded the analysis and scientific research on the improvement measures that can be implemented to prevent floods, concluding that such measures include “the installation of over 10 drain valves on the lower walls in the Inner Harbor,” which would be open to facilitate faster draining of water that has accumulated after a storm surge.

DSAMA said that the installation of such valves “is possible […] during the second semester of next year.”

As for the flood barriers which are to be built in between piers number 23 and 26, DSAMA said “it can only be built after the conclusion of the construction works of the ‘Box-Culvert’ of the Rainwater Collection and Pumping Station of the Northern area of the Inner Harbor.” The work is expected finish during 2021, reaffirming that the project is included on the “mid-term measures.”

Citing the same research and analysis ordered by the government, the bureau said that studies concluded that the solution of deepening the riverbed in the area would not contribute to solving the problem of flooding.

“According to the results, in the case of deepening of the Inner Harbor [riverbed], the level of the tide will raise and will change the scale of movement of the tides in the Hung Wan channel and in the Inner Harbor area, causing more tides to move to the Inner Harbor,” DSAMA stated, adding “the growth of tides volume in the Inner Harbor will be superior to the volume of the possible excavation, so the level of water in the Inner Harbor will not decrease, but will increase.”  RM