The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has dredged 88,840 cubic meters of silt along Digmala River in Bongabon town, Nueva Ecija Province.
In an update to DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar, District Engineer Ricardo M. Puno of DPWH Nueva Ecija Second District Engineering Office (DEO) reported that a yearlong desilting operation in partnership with the DPWH Bureau of Equipment has cleared Digmala River, which used to be heavily silted due to soil erosion from the denuded portions of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range.
“The ongoing dredging has already exceeded our target to desilt a total volume of 88,000 cubic meters along the 4.4-kilometer portion of Digmala River,” said Engineer Puno.
“This activity has so far restored the carrying capacity of the river, hence reduced flood-risk of low-lying areas like Caban atuan City,” added Engineer Puno.
The desilting operation of Digmala River with an allocation of P5.35 million started in July 2018.
Despite accomplishment, DPWH Nueva Ecija Second DEO aims to continue desilting operations along Digmala River to further increase its carrying capacity, and help alleviate flooding in other areas including villages close to Pampanga River. Digmala River is an allied river and a major tributary of the 260-kilometer Pampanga River that traverses the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Pampanga.