The final stage of the dredging work for the Nosara River will begin in November of this year, following the allocation of the work to the company that wins an ongoing bidding process. The winner will be announced in the first weeks of August.
That is according to Ricardo Chinchilla, an engineer for the National Groundwater, Irrigation and Drainage Service (SENARA – Servicio Nacional de Aguas Subterraneas, Riego y Avenamiento) who is in charge the project. He reported that there are currently seven companies competing to win the contract, which will be managed by the National Emergency Commission (CNE – Comision Nacional de Emergencias).
The bidding process started on June 20 and, according to Chinchilla, it has been extended because CNE is thoroughly scrutinizing each company’s financial situation, to see whether they have the capacity to pay and if their finances are in order. CNE is also evaluating the quality of machinery, costs and personnel.
The company that wins the bidding process will dredge approximately 2400 meters of the river’s main channel. The project includes building a dyke out of compacted clay and slopes covered in concrete that will be located along a stretch near landing strip, passing by Rancho Tico and then again for a stretch of river from the Rasta bridge to Santa Marta.
Although the project was originally scheduled in two separate phases, Chinchilla explained that the decision was made to join the two to facilitate the process. CNE has ₡1,400 million ($2.6 million) for the project, which will last from November until February of 2015.
“The goal of bringing together the two phases is to facilitate the work and maximize resources,” explained Chinchilla. He added that, once work has been completed, CNE will turn the project over to the municipality so that the institution can provide maintenance for the dredging.
In addition, Chinchilla said that part of the material that will be taken from the bottom of the river will be deposited on land owned by the Nosara Development Association (ADIN – Asociacion de Desarrollo Integral de Nosara) so that the municipality and the association can use it for repairs to the community’s roads.
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