Dikes, creek cleanup seen to solve flooding in Dagupan

The city’s flood mitigation commission on Wednesday asked the local government to rehabilitate the creeks and estuaries, and build dikes and pumping stations to address the problem of perennial floods. The commission said most of the city’s waterways, especially the Mariposa and Rizal-Galvan creeks, were clogged and needed immediate cleanup. Illegal structures and garbage have also been blocking these waterways, worsening the city’s flood problem, the commission said in its 142-page report. Mayor Brian Lim formed the 10-member commission in August and gave it 90 days to come up with short- and long-term solutions to flooding. The commission also recommended the construction of dikes along the Pantal River and the city’s boundary with Calasiao town to prevent soil erosion while the river is being dredged at a large scale. The commission also cited engineering issues that had caused the flooding, such as the absence of a topographic map of the city that could have helped engineers determine the elevation of the city’s streets and flow of rainwater.