Dominican Republic irrigation and water infrastructure

In late July 2026, the Dominican Republic’s National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) launched several initiatives to mitigate drought and improve agricultural water supply. On July 28, INDRHI executive director Olmedo Caba Romano met with rice growers in Cenoví, Duarte Province, to address severe drought caused by El Niño. The relief plan includes technical studies for a new water-line in coordination with CORAAVEGA, the deployment of hydrology teams to locate aquifers, the construction of a dam on the Jaya River, and the rehabilitation of lagoons and irrigation channels.

On July 31, infrastructure work was highlighted in Azua province. INDRHI announced the extension of the Azua II irrigation system via a 10.9-km canal linking to a new 20,000 m³ capacity Block III reservoir. This expansion is part of a broader network of reservoirs intended to serve over 47,000 farms in Estebanía, Las Charcas, and Hatillo.

By late August, the focus expanded to Puerto Plata and Espaillat with the awarding of contracts for 14 hydraulic projects totaling approximately RD$420 million. Following an emergency decree by President Luis Abinader after heavy rainfall in April, these works aim to repair damage and enhance protection for local communities. Projects include constructing gabion walls on the Bajabonico and Guananico rivers, adapting the Unijica River, and cleaning ravines in Luperón and Sosúa. Additional interventions involve drainage in Sabaneta de Yásica, protection works in San Felipe de Puerto Plata, and adapting the Camú River bed in Villa Montellano to reduce flood risks. Furthermore, the government is designing two new dams on the Yásica and Bajabonico rivers to repurpose water for clean energy, potable supply, and agricultural irrigation.