Haina River Restoration Advances After Decades Of Degradation

Heavy machinery currently operating along the Haina River is being used for an environmental rehabilitation project launched in February, according to the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The intervention combines hydraulic rehabilitation, environmental remediation and ecological restoration following decades of degradation in the river’s basin.

The work was authorized through Resolution No. 002-2026, which declared the recovery of the Haina River an environmental emergency. The ministry said the river had been affected by illegal extraction of construction materials, changes to its channel, deforestation and degradation along its banks.

Hydraulic Rehabilitation Underway

Because of the condition of the affected areas, the project requires physical intervention along the river. Crews are removing and relocating accumulated sediments and materials, reshaping sections of the river channel, managing water flows and stabilizing soils and riverbanks.

The ministry said the operations are being carried out under technical criteria, environmental controls and institutional supervision. Their objectives include restoring the river’s hydraulic capacity, reducing erosion and flood risks, and preparing degraded areas for subsequent ecological restoration.

The work is being performed by authorized companies under guidelines established by the Environment Ministry. The National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA) is also accompanying the intervention and maintaining surveillance in the area to prevent the illegal activities that have historically affected the watershed from continuing.

Restoration Will Cover More Than 200,000 Square Meters

The first phase of the environmental transformation will cover more than 200,000 square meters along the Haina River. A reforestation and gallery-forest restoration plan calls for the planting of 1,350 native trees representing 20 species, along with 2,400 shrubs and bushes and 1,200 riverside plants.

The restoration program will also establish approximately 4,500 square meters of grasses and ground cover as part of the effort to rebuild vegetation in the river ecosystem. Other elements include protected conservation areas and the recovery of riverside vegetation around the edges of lagoons within the intervention zone.

Plans also include a guardhouse, maintenance access roads and a trail for walking and cycling. These features form part of the project’s broader approach to restoring the area while establishing infrastructure for continued management and monitoring.

Authorities Link Restoration To Watershed Protection

Environment and Natural Resources Minister Paíno Henríquez said the intervention forms part of the government’s effort to restore rivers and protect the Dominican Republic’s watersheds.

Henríquez said the project is intended to rehabilitate a river degraded over decades, stabilize surrounding land and create the conditions needed to restore vegetation. The work is also designed to help protect communities located near the affected areas.

The ministry said it will continue monitoring the project, including the removal and disposal of materials taken from the river and the condition of irrigation water intakes and infrastructure located within the intervention area. Authorities also said they will continue providing updates on the project’s progress as the restoration advances.