Flood warning! - Porus, Harmons told to brace for possible flooding

Residents of Porus and Harmons in Manchester are being urged to brace for possible flooding as rising groundwater levels in Content continue to climb, threatening to spill over into nearby communities.

The Water Resources Authority (WRA) says the water table in the Content area has been swelling rapidly since Hurricane Melissa, and conditions are similar to those that caused major flooding more than two decades ago. In the community near Williamsfield, rising groundwater has left homes partially submerged and rendered the roadway impassable.

"If it continues to rise and has significant outflow, then it will flow towards Porus," WRA Chief Executive Officer Peter Clarke told THE STAR.

"They should be on the alert because this is something that will come at them."

The WRA said that the groundwater mound forming in Content is moving southwest - the same direction it took during the 2002 flooding event that left areas in Porus and Harmons flooded.

"Generally speaking, residents who have lived in areas that historically flood due to groundwater rising should be on alert," Clarke said. "If rains continue, Harmons should be on alert now."

Recalling that disaster, Clarke said, "You had a lot of water going down the side of the road and everything."

He explained that once groundwater reaches the surface, it naturally flows downhill, often pooling in low-lying areas where drains are either clogged or poorly maintained.

"It's almost like there is a river running down the side of the road," he said. "So, for sure, if it looks like that is happening, the municipal corporations will have to ensure those drains are ready to receive the water."

Clarke said the overflowing aquifer can create streams that can damage properties and disrupt daily life.

"These drains and so on, you have to make sure that they are being kept clear to receive the water," he said.

Clarke said new monitoring equipment was installed in Content on Monday, allowing the agency to track groundwater levels in real time.

"The last time the Content situation was not being monitored; now it is," he said. "We installed monitoring equipment on Monday, and we're tracking it closely."

According to Clarke, the current rise in groundwater has been much faster than anything previously recorded. Groundwater level readings taken from the Content borehole, located approximately 250 metres southeast of the flooded area, show that groundwater levels rose by approximately 330 feet (100 metres) in the 40 days between September 25 and November 3. The data show a major rise in groundwater levels and active movement of water through the nearby sinkhole, causing surface flooding in the area.

"We hadn't seen that kind of movement the last time," Clarke said. "The aquifer is approaching capacity, and because that area is a depression, it pops up there."

The WRA said that activating wells for pumping in lower areas could help speed up this natural movement and reduce flooding levels over time.