Scotts Head Jetty Project

Project Background

To increase redundancy capabilities for emergency evacuation of the Soufriere Bay communities in the event of major natural disasters and to enhance overall resiliency, the construction of a jetty in the Scotts Head village was required.

It is not unusual for either Soufriere or Scotts Head to suffer major coastal upheaval caused by hurricanes, but it is very rare for both of them to suffer extensive damages to their local infrastructure at the same time, as occurred during Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Building a second jetty in the village of Scotts Head, as a complement to the recently built jetty in the Village of Soufriere at the opposite side of the Soufriere Bay, was therefore a logical addition to community infrastructure.

Scotts Head Jetty Looking South

The New Scotts Head Jetty Looking South

Building the Jetty

In 2020, the design for the construction of a new jetty in Scotts Head was initiated under the management of Resilient Dominica (REZDM) and funded by the Daniel Langlois Foundation. In 2021 the local engineering firm Offshore Civil & Marine was contracted to build the jetty.

The design of the new Scotts Head Jetty is very different from the Soufriere jetty.

The Scotts Head jetty is designed for multiple uses including:

  • Fishing
  • Recreational activities
  • Emergency evacuation
  • Tourism activities

As a result, the design is lower (relative to mean water level) and specifically constructed to provide easy access. It is well suited for the regular day to day activities conducted by the typically smaller boats used by local fishermen and nearby tourism services. The design also allows emergency evacuation to be done using the smaller boats readily available in the Soufriere Bay.

Scotts Head & Scotts head Jetty - Aerial View

Scotts Head Village and Scotts Head Jetty:  Aerial View

A small jetty existed previously in Scott’s Head, but it was not built to be resilient and was severely damaged by hurricanes, including Hurricane Maria. Following an extensive consultation process with relevant stakeholders, it was decided that the central location of the old damaged jetty was best for the resilient jetty.

The concrete approach of the old damaged jetty (which was still partially standing) was replaced and attached to a new concrete pile structure extending further into the bay.

Old Scotts Head Jetty

Concrete Approach on the Old Jetty

Although this location is within the confines of the Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve, it is a fishing priority area and our marine surveys have documented no signs of corals or reefs in the direct vicinity. Before beginning construction, an Environmental Impact Assessment Report was prepared under the supervision of Lionel Algernon “Algy” J. Simon.

The construction of the Scotts Head jetty was completed in October 2021.

Scotts Head Jetty Looking South

Scotts Head Jetty Looking South

Scotts Head Jetty Looking Toward Soufriere

Slideshow: Construction of the New Jetty