Assessment of Drainage Conditions in the Poblacion Barangays of Catarman, Northern Samar: A Pilot Study

Abstract

A technical survey was conducted in the 16 Poblacion barangays of Catarman, Northern Samar to gather technical data on the existing length of drainage canals, the land area of the barangay, and the average slope of the existing drainage canal. Using a survey questionnaire, the reasons for flooding and perceived remedial measures were gathered from the barangay residents. The existing lengths of the drainage canal in the barangays range from 0.52 – 2.263 km. The average slope of the drainage canal in the barangays ranges from 0.012 – 1.572 %. The average depth of maximum flooding ranges 0 (no flooding) – 1.3 m. The computed drainage density for the different barangays ranges 2.92 – 32.46 km/km2 while the computed additional lengths of drainage needed in the barangays ranges 0 (sufficient length of existing drainage canal) – 4,954 m. On the other hand, the most common reasons for flooding are small drainage canals, clogged drainage canals, no drainage canal, water coming from other puroks, and flooding from Catarman River or a nearby creek. The most common remedial measures perceived by the barangay residents are construct a drainage canal, drainage canal maintenance, construct river control, and repair of the existing drainage canal. The researchers concluded that the barangays with high drainage density has no or minimal flooding, many of the barangays still need a considerable length of drainage canals to eliminate in the area, most of the barangay respondents claimed that the problem is that the drainage canals are not sufficient and some existing drainage canals need repair and so there is a need to construct additional drainage canals and repair existing ones and a significant number of barangay residents asserted there is a need to construct a river control structure to avoid river water coming into their barangay.