The Arghandab River runs along the border between the Zhari and Panjwayi Districts, where Joint Task Force Afghanistan is conducting security and development operations. The river can usually be forded, but this becomes impossible when water levels rise in the spring. Last October, Canadian JFT-Afg engineers undertook the construction of a causeway so that the river can be crossed all year round.
Members of the engineering regiment of the last ROTO had considered building a bridge over the river, but the idea was rejected for various reasons. Members of 51 Construction Squadron of 5 Combat Engineer Regiment took up where their predecessors left off and came up with a different plan—a causeway. In early fall 2007, Maj Éric Fortin, project director, commissioned Scott Hill, a civil engineer at SNC-Lavalin PAE Inc., and Elia Miller, his partner at Defence Construction Canada, to develop plans and specifications for a crossing construction project that could meet specific objectives that would be completed by a certain date, use local materials strong enough to resist water flow greater than five cubic meters per second and, last but not least, make use of local workers, all in order to stimulate the local economy.
In the location where the causeway was built, the Arghandab River separates into three channels. The water is not very deep there, because the riverbed is flat. However, when the water rises in the spring, the water flow can reach up to 500 metres in width. The causeway is made up of a series of concrete culverts that stretch across each channel; the culverts are covered with a gravel road surface. The design was inexpensive and technically simple to build. During a major flood, the water can flow over the causeway and, even then, "the surface remains safe and passable," says Maj Jérémie Émond, a JTF-Afg Engineer Support Co-ordination Centre engineer.
At a cost of about $ 700 000, the construction of the Arghandab River causeway is without a doubt one of the largest development projects that Canada has undertaken in Afghanistan. The project is more important because it employed workers from the area. "In order to develop local expertise and to participate in the regional economy, more than 80 non-specialized workers from the Zhari and Panjwayi Districts were hired to do the manual labour," said Master Warrant Officer André Pinard, senior foreman at the worksite. "Five teams of 10 workers were created, each of which was made up of five workers from Zhari and five from Panjwayi, all working under the supervision of a CF member and an interpreter. This approach fostered teamwork and cohesion among the workers from each district. Ultimately, the project enabled us to create 80 temporary jobs for a period of about 60 days."
With regard to material procurement and heavy machinery, several local companies were used. Sgt Emmanuel Chouinard, of 51 Construction Squadron, was responsible for contracting, and Sgt Stéphane Dupont, of 53 Close Support Squadron, acted as foreman and supervised the delivery of more than 10,000 cubic metres of gravel and 175 concrete culverts weighing more than eight tonnes.
Security was handled by the Afghan national army. A few local interpreters were also hired in order to facilitate communication between Afghan employees and CF members.
"The Arghandab River causeway will allow JTF-Afg and local citizens to travel freely," says LCol Jacques O'Keefe, JTF-Afg chief of engineering. "This will improve security in the districts of Zhari and Panjwayi and thereby promote the local economy," adds BGen Guy Laroche, JTF-Afg commander.
| Date Taken: |
01.23.2008 |
| Date Posted: |
01.24.2008 13:18 |
| Story ID: |
15747 |
| Location: |
AF |
| Web Views: |
199 |
| Downloads: |
141 |
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