The Guarani Aquifer Project: contributions for the groundwater

resources management

The Guarani Aquifer Project: contributions for the groundwater

resources management

Luiz AmoreGEF Third Biennial International

Waters Conference.June, 22nd of 2005

GEF / WB / OASGEF / WB / OAS

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Area: 1.2 million km2

Population: 30 million

Reserves: 40,000 – 150,000 km3

Recharge: 40 – 60 km3/year

Depth: 0 to -1800 m

Thickness: 250 m

Temperature: 33C - 85C

Guarani Aquifer System:Guarani Aquifer System: Main CharacteristicsMain Characteristics

Discharge

Guarani

Plata

BasaltGuarani

Recharge

urban supply

70%

industrial20%

recreation5%

rural5%

Uses of Guarani System

Usage: 2-4 km3/year (63 to 127 m3/s)Number of wells: 2600+ (500 cities)

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Project Rationale and Objective

Project Rationale and Objective

Rationale for intervention

Growing use and increasing demand

Prevention is less expensive

Signs of scarcity and pollution in transboundary and national Hot Spots

Need to account for groundwater in water resource planning and management

Objective

Support Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay to jointly elaborate and implement a coordinated institutional framework for managing the transboundary Guarani Aquifer System for current and future generations.

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Project components and expected results

Components I. Improve knowledge base

on GuaraniII. Guarani management

frameworkIII. Participation, education &

communicationIV. Monitoring and

dissemination of resultsV. Pilot projects in identified

Hot SpotsVI. Assessment of geothermal

energy, and VII. Project coordination.

Main Outcomesa) Multi-country

agreement on institutional and technical framework

b) Functioning information system and monitoring network

c) Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis

d) Strategic Action Program

e) Joint legal framework proposal

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

water supply and urbanization in a partially confined area

Hot Spot Ribeirão Preto

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Ref. Guido Blöcher

Concordia / Salto Hot Spot

sustainable sustainable termal usetermal use in a confined area in a confined area

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Rivera / Santana do Livramento Hot Spot

contamination sources in a contamination sources in a rechargrechargee area area

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Itapúa Hot Spot - Paraguay

deforestation and adeforestation and agricultural usegricultural use

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Guarani Aquifer TDA basic frameworkGuarani Aquifer TDA basic framework c ACTUAL & POTENTIAL SITUATIONS

WITH LOCAL TRANSBOUNDARY EFFECTS

POSSIBLE SITUATIONS WITH SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS AT

CATCHMENT SCALE evaluation of incidence/ control of

natural groundwater contamination (F, U, Rd, Rn) affecting use for potable water supply

contamination of potable waterwells

due to inadequate urban sanitation and uncontrolled urban land-use

definition of strategies for efficient groundwater resource development and sustainable management

assessment of aquifer pollution

vulnerability and appropriate protection measures for aquifer recharge areas

wetland impact and river baseflow reduction as a consequence of potential intensive groundwater resource development for agricultural irrigation

deterioration in the quality and rate of aquifer recharge as a result of extensive changes in agricultural land use and crop cultivation

the adjacent problems could grow if regional agricultural policies and markets favour the intensive and extensive use of local soils and/or groundwater resources -- but only if current field investigations confirm (a) the present ecological role of aquifer discharge and (b) the hydraulic continuity of the aquifer system in the corresponding areas

evaluation of economic and efficient options for the use of the aquifer’s geothermal resources

reductions in the artesian and geothermal characteristics of the aquifer due to uncontrolled exploitation by geothermal wells

APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF RESOLUTION

SAG-PS and CSDP in service of the national and state organizations

involved

SAG-PS through intervention of CSDP with the countries and local

institutions involved

CSDP in consultation with supra-national organizations and with

support of the SAG-PS

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Groundwater Management Groundwater Management RequirementsRequirementsImplement and support monitoring network and an

Information System with all data related to exploitation; Users database and public access to them;Increase the resource knowledge; Define priorities for exploitation and increase efficiency in a planned development policies framework;Define and to authorize maximum flow for exploitation and levels;Define and authorize location and distance between wells; Decide on new wells construction; Protect the environment, decreasing the impact of well construction and improving a convenient waste water disposal; Define protection perimeter and different exploitation areas;Promote training, education and diffusion about hydrological topics at different levels.

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

University Fund under execution (until Oct 2005)

Citizenship Fund under execution (until 2006) Created forums for dialogue Pilot local support committees and initial action

plans under implementation Main technical studies launched (transparency)

TDA/SAP process under preparation (transition to the management phase)

Qualification program launched to support GW involved institutions

Achievements to date…

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Project of declaration of basics principles and action guidelines for the Guarani Aquifer System under discussion (July 2004)

Strengthened commitment to jointly develop the Guarani (e.g. SC, NCs, GS-GAS, political support from national agencies…)

Multi country project management system under operation

Improvement of knowledge and participation of users and policymakers alike

Engaged Universities and NGOs Garnered international interest

Achievements to date.GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

SÍNTESIS GRÁFICA DE AVANCE DEL PROYECTO

Transboundary aquifer management depends on groundwater occurrence and subsystem special characteristics (knowledge importance)

Groundwater management must be focused on different aquifer funtions: heat, reservoir, water transportation, buffer, barriers, ecosystem maintenance... (concile protection, management and development)

Water uses must be integrated at each management level: LOCAL, sub national, national and regional

Project institutional framework involving water, environment and foreign affairs sectors has been adequate and must be strengthened with stakeholder participation in each national level

Effective of groundwater management requires strong cross-sector cooperation among national, sub-national and local governments and other different Organizations

Transparency, adequate financial resources and timing are critical elements in building participatory process..create constituency..keep momentum

Lessons LearnedGUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Challenges – Looking ahead

Provide a catalytic input to the establishment of a framework for a sustainable transboundary aquifer management between the countries

Ensure the financial and technical sustainability of the monitoring and evaluation systems to be established by the project

Assist governments in defining and harmonizing regulations at country level that govern the sustainable management of the Guarani

Maintain the framework and best practices to be developed under the project in support of transboundary management of the aquifer, including prevention and conflict resolution.

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

Thank you

www.sg-guarani.orgwww.sg-guarani.org

GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM