Water Beyond the Surface, Sustaining Life

04/15/2023ELAYES Enterprise, Mt Pleassant, Mesopotamia.

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“Water Beyond the Surface, Sustaining Life,

Securing our Future.”- An assessment of water relations in

agriculture in St Vincent & the Grenadines.


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Lennie D Adams Former Primary School Teacher, Ministry of

Education. Retired Senior Agricultural Officer (Extension

Services) of the Ministry of Agriculture. Diploma Agriculture – ECIAF/UTT. Post Graduate Diploma, Agricultural Extension-

University of the West Indies. Master of Science Degree – University of

Reading , England. Managing Director- ELAYES Enterprise.

Presenter


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Water resources of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

- on land; marine; distribution. Uses in agriculture. -crop irrigation; agro-processing; fishing; livestock. Securing our future. - protection and legislations.

Presentation:


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It is estimated that St Vincent and the Grenadines has an area of 34,399 ha .

Of this, about 17,000 ha are agricultural lands.

About 13,000 ha are forested.

La Soufriere is the highest point with an elevation of 1,234 meters.

Area and Elevation


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A back bone of mountains run down the centre of the island from north to south.

Numerous steep spurs branch from the centre to the sea on the leeward or western coast.

Topography:


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The terrain is extremely rugged with slopes over 30 degrees.

The spurs on the western side give rise to the numerous valleys which are drained by streams.

The eastern coast line has gentle rolling plains with steep valleys as you approach the central interior

Topography:


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Topography:


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Rainfall Distribution:


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Rainfall and surface water: Rainfall ranges from 7,000 mm per year in the interior to 1,800 mm per year in the coastal areas.

The thirteen key watersheds yield approximately 120 million cubic meters per year of surface water.

The national average is 3,000 mm per year.

Water Resources-land


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There are 20 known major water supply sources and hydro power sites.

These exist in 13 major water catchment areas.

They supply a dry season intake of 17.1 million liters per day and a wet season intake of 29.4 million liters per day.

Water supply sources and hydro-power sites in St Vincent and the Grenadines.


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Water supply sources and hydro-power sites in St Vincent and the Grenadines.


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Water supply sources and hydro-power

sites in St Vincent and the Grenadines.


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SVG marine water resources include all waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea as determined by the Zones of National Jurisdiction 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

Marine water resource:


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Marine water resource distribution


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Nautical Mile:

This was developed in the age of sailing ships and has become the international system of measuring the ocean.

It is defined as one minute (1’) of latitude or 1.15 miles. A degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles.


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Nautical Mile:

A nautical mile is about 1852 meters or 6076 feet in length. It is longer than the statute miles , the measurement used by the English system. (5280ft or 1609 meters =1 mile).


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Hydroponics: The production of crops in water culture eg. (tomatoes and lettuce).

Crop irrigation : Most of the agricultural lands on the coast were irrigated during the middle of the of the 20th. century.

An irrigation programme was set up in the mid 1990’s to service 400 acres with a target of reaching 4000 acre.

Water in agriculture


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The farms on Orange Hill, Langley Park and Georgetown benefited from that programme.

Banana under irrigation yielded 20 tons per acre compared to 8 tons per acre without irrigation.



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Agro-processing: Water is used for driving the wheels of the mill in the processing arrowroot . (e.g. Owia Factory)

For washing produce for processing and packaging for the markets.( bananas, Lauders agro processing plant, cassava processing)



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Fishing: Fish is harvested from the ocean/sea around the island and from the rivers and streams.

Few attempts were made in aquaculture to produce Tilapia. These were met with numerous problems.

Livestock production: All livestock require water ad lib.



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The King’s Hill Enclosure Ordinance 82 of 1926 –No.5 of 1791: This reserves about 22 ha of woodland on King’s Hill for the purpose of attracting clouds and rain for the benefit of the owner of the surrounding land. Penalties are prescribed for squatting and cutting timber.

Charcoal Ordinance 98 of 1926 (No.5 of 1906) prescribes penalties for unlawful burning of charcoal and is used to control charcoal burning on Crown Lands.

Securing our future: Legislations


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Proclamation of August 22nd 1912. This reserves all land above the 1,000 ft contour as Crown Lands and to protect them against any act that would be prejudicial to forest conservation.

Crown Land Ordinance 77 of 1926 (No.3 of 1906). Provisions are made for the Superintendent of Crown Lands to make regulations for management, sale, lease, and prevention of squatting.



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Maritime Areas Act (1983) and Act No.15 of 1993.The acts define the marine areas of St Vincent and the Grenadines and allow the State to define the following:

Internal Waters. Archipelagic Waters-(water around the islands) Territorial Seas Contiguous Zone(A region which extends between 24NM. A state

may exercise control necessary to prevent infringement on immigration, customs, sanitary and fiscal laws ).

Exclusive Economic Zone (area between 24NM and 200 NM from coastline. Important for underwater resources and fishing).

Territorial Extent Safety Zone



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The Fisheries Act (1986) and Regulations 1987.They cover fisheries access agreements, local and foreign fishing licensing, processing, research, fisheries enforcement and registration of fishing vessels.

The legislation also specifies conservation measures



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Town and Country Planning Act (1992): Coastal zone management.

Forestry Act (1945) Mangrove Protection

Mustique Conservation Act(1989) Management of the conservation areas on and around Mustique

CWSA Act(1978) control of land base water

Public Health Act(1977) waste management

Tobago Cays Marine Park Act(1999) critical habitat management



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Thanks For Your Attention !

Water Beyond the Surface, Sustaining Life

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