One of the objectives of this visit was to strengthen scientific collaboration between the United States and Ecuador. The technical advice will be used to inform decisions to mitigate the regressive erosion of the Coca River.
Quito, August 2, 2021. A delegation of specialists from the United States Army Corps of Engineers last week made a technical visit to the area of the regressive erosion of the Coca River, which threatens the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant, pipelines, highways, and surrounding communities. The United States is assisting Ecuador in identifying risks and possible solutions to the threats of regressive erosion, in order to preserve the environment and the critical pipeline infrastructure of this partner country.
During the visit that lasted a week, the specialists met with authorities from the Ministry of Energy, CELEC EP, and EP Petroecuador. In addition, they attended presentations on the studies carried out by CELEC EP and EP Petroecuador, and visited the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant to monitor the water intake, the machine room, the turbined water discharge area, and the eroded areas that have affected roads and Petroecuador’s pipeline infrastructure. The engineers were able to observe and better understand the current regressive erosion situation and its potential risks.
Adriel McConnell, Project Manager for Latin America of the United States Army Corps of Engineers said: “Our team was impressed with the technical capacity of the expert members of the Ecuadorian team with whom we met in Quito and in the affected area. We will return to the United States with a better understanding of the challenge posed by the erosion of the Coca River, unique in the world, which will be of great value as we work to develop proposals on how we can collaborate to meet this challenge for Ecuador. Looking forward, we hope to have our initial bilateral plan of action in place before the end of 2021.”
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is one of the United States’ leading experts in infrastructure and civil engineering, and one of the largest public agencies specializing in engineering, design, and construction management, focusing on the construction of dams, canals, and flood protection works in the United States. It participates in a wide variety of public works worldwide. Operating under the authority of the United States Water Resources Development Act, it is helping Ecuador better understand its own water resources challenges. The objective of this visit was to strengthen the scientific collaboration between the United States and Ecuador, in order to collect technical information that will inform decisions to help mitigate the regressive erosion of the Coca River.
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