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For last several years often harsh debate over construction hydroelectric dam on upper Macal has been largely academic. That is, pros cons Chalillo project were argued press and courts, river kept right on rolling, oblivious the increasingly rancorous exchange. But now, after many delays, big machines are finally working...and once quiet valley is about change.

Janelle Chanona, Reporting Three months after groundbreaking ceremonies were held the Chalillo Hydro-Electric project, site looks very different. Belize Electricity Limited working on access roads, well finding sites quarry, batching crushing plants. But company's biggest accomplishment has been the completion cofferdam.

Sixteen thousand cubic meters material have been dumped on the eastern side river preparation rainy season.

Joseph Sooknandan, Chalillo Project Manager
"If you have river normally flowing if you want to work on any side banks river, what you need something prevent water getting into banks of river. So cofferdam basically prevents water from getting sides river so can pour the concrete on sides river. That first thing you do, you have build like diversion, so when actual dam being built, river can continue flow through a diversion. So cofferdam allows you able work on the right abutment dam."

Construction moving quickly Chalillo project site. The cofferdam complete B.E.L. engineers say the end year work on actual dam will begin.

Joseph Sooknandan
"Pouring actual dam will start December, the latest January. are some other preparatory work we have do, example I said, have build a diversion so once start working on actual dam that diversion will allow river continue flow its normal channel."

Today things were quiet Chalillo, but crews Belize Mining Construction Company have been busy drilling, blasting excavating.

David Michael, Belize Mining Construction Co.
"We are drilling let them test area dam. We are doing drilling sites where will setting up their crushers different short things like that."

Janelle Chanona
"What sort rock you finding out here?"

David Michael
"We mostly, only rock buck up right now the granite stones. That's type rock that's out right now."

But environmentalists are trying keep Chalillo B.E.L. between rock hard place, taking their case Privy Council London after attempts Belize failed convince two lower courts. Chalillo's project manager, Joseph Sooknandan, says any break work will cost company money.

Joseph Sooknandan
"If there's delay you lose significant amount money. If you are stop works now, you lose large amount of money depends on how much you lose. But if you had a small delay, you can continue. If you have long delay becomes financial issue."

For now, things are moving scheduled. contractor hired to build dam, Chinese Water Resources Hydro Power Engineering Corporation, setting up shop the nearby village Augustine. And pretty soon--unless Privy Council intervenes--the landscape Upper Macal River will begin change even more drastically.

According B.E.L., officials Department the Environment vis site on weekly basis for environmental monitoring.