Tropical Storm (TS) Otto hit Puerto Rico in early October with torrential rains
that caused flooding, mudslides, and landslides. Twenty-one (21) municipalities
were declared disaster areas.
On October 14, 2010, Roberto Viqueira, Louis Meyer and Mario Rodriguez
conducted a field assessment of the damages caused by TS Otto to the Rio Loco
river basin. During the assessment they found the Rio Loco’s riverbanks had eroded,
and in some places the entire riverbank was destroyed and water was flowing
through into papaya fields. They also observed that debris collected around former
railroad structures, creating a dam that diverted the river into fields, and destroying
those fields.
The Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRA)
helped the farmers to remove the debris. DNRA was unable to remove the old
railroad structures, because the collapsed structures were too heavy to be lifted with
their machinery. DRNA was able to push the railroad structure to the bottom of the
river, so the water now flows over it. Material was not available to reconstruct the
riverbank at this time.
NRCS and Partners are looking for alternatives to help restore this site of the Rio
Loco river basin as part of the Guánica Bay Project. (contact: Mario Rodriguez,
mario.rodriguez@pr.usda.gov).
