Crooked Tree coping with killer dry spell

It has a proud history as Belize’s original home of eco-tourism. But today the Village of Crooked Tree is going through some dry times. News 5 Patrick Jones has the story.

Patrick Jones, Reporting
Where fish normally swim, small aquatic birds now scratch for food. And while the village wilts under the intense dry season sun, residents of Crooked Tree are faced with the prospect of a severe water shortage, which threatens to disrupt everyday life in this quiet community. Village Council Chairman Rudolph Crawford is concerned.

Rudolph Crawford, Chairman, Crooked Tree
?If this continues, like I said earlier, we had never had a dry season starting this early. So if it continues, then that means that all the basins in the lake would probably dry out. And it would not only affect the people who haul nets. But it would affect the village on a whole where water is concerned.?

Donald Tillett is one villager who is already feeling the effects of the shortage as his well has gone virtually dry.

Donald Tillett, Manager, Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
?Two weeks ago I noticed that my water was way down when I was taking out water. In fact the pump couldn?t even take out water. And when I start pulling with the rope and the pan, the water was muddy, so I couldn?t use that water. So after that I went to my neighbours well, and they gave me permission to get water from his well. But now that one is also too low and dirty. So now I have to be going like a mile now from my house to get clean water to drink and to have use in my house.?

The first indication that something was not right came from the lagoon, which surrounds the island village. Tillett says in all the years that he?s been managing the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, this is the worst he has seen it get.

Donald Tillett
?We are not even in the middle of the dry season yet and the water is way too low already. In fact the water is, according to our readings from last year, the water is one point two three metres lower than last year.?

Patrick Jones
?If it continues like this, what is likely to be the effect? How much worse can it get??

Donald Tillett
?Well if it continues like this what would happen is that the lagoon would be dried out. We would loose ninety percent of our wading bird species. They would have to seek refuge where they would find water and food. Even the animals in the village here would find it very difficult to get water to drink. And not only the animals but the people themselves would find it very difficult to find potable water for drinking.?

Rudolph Crawford
?In another two or three weeks definitely, the pressure will come down when complaints will be coming from all over because all the wells are going down right now.?

What precious sources of water are available are being jealously guarded, while the village council looks for contingencies. Crawford says he has been in touch with the Social Investment Fund to see if they can fast track a four-year-old project to install a rudimentary water system.

Rudolph Crawford
?That will be a long process. But even if they could set up the tower and the tank right now, and put the pipe to a distance where people can reach the water, I think it will help because definitely water will be one of the biggest crisis in this community.?

And while that crisis looms on the horizon, villagers are busy preparing for the annual tilapia fest this weekend. Crawford says he is hoping to make the best of a bad situation.

Rudolph Crawford
?Well we are on the move right now. Some people start building up the food booths. We expect to do a cleaning up tomorrow. And also we?ll do the hauling of the Tilapia on the south side of the lake where those people who are engaged in food booths will have a chance to get the fishes that they need. Because we expect to have tilapia in all different kinds of menus.?

While the village is expecting hundreds of visitors this weekend Crawford says there are concerns the long term benefits of tourism will be less that they should be.

Rudolph Crawford
?Some of the factors that we?re looking at right now is like groups of people would come in and come with their own guide. I as the village chair along with my officers, we are hoping that we will work on that immediately that they must have a guide from Crooked Tree. Seeing that if they come in somebody from Crooked Tree benefits.?

?I think that if this is a tourist destination, I think we should be prepared to deal with tourists ourselves.?

Patrick Jones, for News 5.