The Guarani Aquifer System:The Guarani Aquifer System:A key element for an Integrated Water A key element for an Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy inResources Management Strategy in

La Plata BasinLa Plata Basin

Luis Alberto LopezLuis Alberto Lopez ZayasZayas(Minister of Environment, Paraguay)(Minister of Environment, Paraguay)Abel Mejia (World Bank)Abel Mejia (World Bank)Samuel Taffesse (World Bank)Samuel Taffesse (World Bank)Luiz Amore (Guarani Secretariat)Luiz Amore (Guarani Secretariat)

ØArea: 1.2 million km2

ØPopulation: 70 million

ØReserves: 40,000 – 150,000 km3

ØRecharge: 40 – 60 km3/year

ØDepth: 0 to -1800 m

ØThickness: 250 m

ØTemperature: 33°C - 85°C

Guarani Aquifer System:Guarani Aquifer System: Main CharacteristicsMain Characteristics

Recharge

Discharge

Guarani

Plata

Basalt Guarani

urban supply

70%

industrial20%

recreation5%

rural5%

Existing Uses of Guarani System

Usage: 2-4 km3/Year (50 to 100 M3/S)Number of wells: 2600+ (500 cities)

350350

8080

1.56 (100)1.56 (100)

.6 (37.5).6 (37.5).9 (59) .9 (59)

.06 (3.5).06 (3.5)

ParanaParana

370370

9090

3.1 (100)3.1 (100)

.9 (29).9 (29)1.4 (45)1.4 (45).4 (13).4 (13).2 (6.5).2 (6.5).2 (6.5).2 (6.5)

La PlataLa Plata

11.911.9

2.782.788.548.540.400.400.170.17

1.2 (100)1.2 (100)

.23 (19).23 (19)

.84 (71).84 (71)

.071 (6).071 (6)

.045 (4).045 (4)--------

Area Mill. kmArea Mill. km22

ArgentinaArgentinaBrazilBrazil

ParaguayParaguayUruguayUruguay

BoliviaBolivia

573 573 325325GDP US$ billions GDP US$ billions

2142147070Population Mill.Population Mill.

MercosurMercosurGuarani Guarani IndicatorIndicator

The Guarani System and La Plata Basin

ØArgentina§ Decision making authority over water lies within the provinces§ Existence of national and provincial laws on water resources§ Limited information: 9 deep wells, undefined Guarani western border

ØBrazil§ Decision making authority over groundwater lies under state governments§ Mineral, thermal and water bottling use governed by federal concession

regime§ Federal and state laws on water resources, groundwater and Guarani§ Considerable but dispersed information on groundwater§ 500 cities partially or entirely supplied by the Guarani

Ø Paraguay§ Unitary State§ Water resources law in formulation§ Limited information available § more than 200 wells mainly for domestic water supply

ØUruguay§ Unitary State§ Existence of water law and decrees related to thermal use of the Guarani § Considerable information available § 135 wells for public water supply, irrigation and thermal tourism

Guarani Aquifer System Region: Institutional Background

1969 Plata Basin Framework Agreement

1976 Fonplata: Financial Fund for the Development of the Plata Basin

1981 MERCOSUR Common Market Agreement

1926 Yacyreta (Ar/Py)

1973 Itaipu( Br/Py)

1946 Salto (Ar/Uy)

1995 Bermejo(Ar./Br.)

1995 Pilcomayo (Ar/Bo/Py)

2003 Upper Paraguay(Bo/Br/Py)

Landmark Treaties in La Plata Basin Landmark Treaties in La Plata Basin relevant to IWRMrelevant to IWRM

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

2001 Guarani

1998 Macro Environmental Framework

1987 CIHPP Intergovernmental Committee for Hidrovia Parana-Paraguay

1991 Quarai (Br/Uy)

1933 River water (Br/Uy)

1979 Parana( Ar/Br/Py)

1958 Apipe falls( Ar/Py)

1910 Plata (Ar/Uy)

1947 Uruguay River (Ar/Py)

Plus a number of othersPlus a number of others……

Selected WB and GEF Projects in La Plata Basin

A total of 40 (GEF and WB) Projects and A total of 40 (GEF and WB) Projects and Commitment (Loans and Grants) of Commitment (Loans and Grants) of US$1,688 million.US$1,688 million.

GEF 5 projects international water GEF 5 projects international water $53.3 mill. $53.3 mill.

Medium size Biodiversity, 5 projects Medium size Biodiversity, 5 projects $4.7 million (not including enabling $4.7 million (not including enabling activity)activity)

GEF Biodiversity 11 projects ($84 GEF Biodiversity 11 projects ($84 million)million)

WB WB –– NRM 11 projects ($841 million)NRM 11 projects ($841 million)

WB WB –– Land Management 2 projects Land Management 2 projects ($155m)($155m)

WB WB –– Water 6 projects $550 million Water 6 projects $550 million

The Guarani System: A Strategic Link in IWRM of La Plata Basin

vConsolidation of joint collaboration

vIntegration of Surface and groundwater

vAn opportunity to integrate the differentinterventions

vRecognition of the economic importance of the resource to the Region

Towards harmonizing policy in IWRM

IssuesIssuesa)a) Uncoordinated sectoral Uncoordinated sectoral

activities activities b)b) Possible conflicts among Possible conflicts among

transboundary localitiestransboundary localitiesc)c) Uncontrolled water Uncontrolled water

extractionextractiond)d) Pollution in some localitiesPollution in some localitiese)e) Sustainable groundwater Sustainable groundwater

management not yet fully management not yet fully recognized recognized

Implications Implications a)a) Establish cross sectoral forumEstablish cross sectoral forumb)b) Empower local governments across Empower local governments across

frontier in joint SAP formulationfrontier in joint SAP formulationc)c) Establishment and harmonization of Establishment and harmonization of

rules and regulations that govern the rules and regulations that govern the use and extraction of wateruse and extraction of water

d)d) Identify environmentally friendly use Identify environmentally friendly use in stressed areas in stressed areas –– e.g. tourisme.g. tourism

e)e) Make groundwater management an Make groundwater management an integral part of IWRMintegral part of IWRM

Project Rationale and Objective

Rationale for interventionRationale for intervention

nnGrowing use and increasing Growing use and increasing demanddemand

nnPollution in recharge areaPollution in recharge area

nnPrevention is less expensivePrevention is less expensive

nnSigns of scarcity and Signs of scarcity and pollutionpollution in in transboundary and national Hot transboundary and national Hot SpotsSpots

nnNeed to account for groundwater Need to account for groundwater in water resource planning and in water resource planning and managementmanagement

Objective

Support Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay tojointly elaborate and implement a coordinatedinstitutional framework for managing and preserving thetransboundary GuaraniAquifer System for current and future generations.

Project components and expected results

ComponentsComponentsI.I. Improve knowledge base Improve knowledge base

about Guaraniabout GuaraniII.II. Guarani management Guarani management

frameworkframeworkIII.III. ParticipationParticipation, education, education & &

communicationcommunicationIV.IV. Monitoring and Monitoring and

dissemination of resultsdissemination of resultsV.V. Pilot projects in identified Pilot projects in identified

HHot Spotsot SpotsVI.VI. AAssessment of geossessment of geothermal thermal

energy,energy, and and VII.VII. PProject coordinationroject coordination..

Main OutcomesMain Outcomesa)a) MultiMulti--country agreement on country agreement on

institutional and technical institutional and technical frameworkframework

b)b) Functioning information Functioning information system and monitoring system and monitoring networknetwork

c)c) Strategic Action ProgramStrategic Action Programd)d) Transboundary Diagnostic Transboundary Diagnostic

AnalysisAnalysise)e) Proposal for joint legal Proposal for joint legal

frameworkframework

Key Technical issues to be addressed by the project

Promote integrated water resource Promote integrated water resource managementmanagement

Determine water balance at the Determine water balance at the Guarani Guarani

Introduce risk mitigation and vulnerability Introduce risk mitigation and vulnerability reduction measures (e.g. use of pesticide)reduction measures (e.g. use of pesticide)

Assess vulnerability and riskAssess vulnerability and risk

Integrate groundwater into energy plan for Integrate groundwater into energy plan for the regionthe region

Evaluate geoEvaluate geo--thermal potentialthermal potential

Establish quantitative targets to prevent Establish quantitative targets to prevent over exploitation and landscape over exploitation and landscape management practicesmanagement practices

Quantify recharge and discharge Quantify recharge and discharge and flow behaviorand flow behavior

Prepare strategic action plan to prevent Prepare strategic action plan to prevent resource pollutionresource pollution

Identify areas of recharge and Identify areas of recharge and discharge discharge

Determines provincial, municipal & local Determines provincial, municipal & local governments rolegovernments role

Identify limit of the Aquifer (West)Identify limit of the Aquifer (West)

The project will support policy makers on:

ØThe formulation and harmonization of legal, technical and institutional arrangements of riparian countries

ØMainstreaming best practices in groundwater management into each country’s development agenda

Ø Integrating the management of surface and groundwater

ØThe establishment of local management and planning, especially at transboundary (hot spot) areas

ØØ Strengthened commitment to jointly develop the Strengthened commitment to jointly develop the Guarani (e.g. CSDP, GSGuarani (e.g. CSDP, GS--GAS, political GAS, political supportsupport……))

ØØ Improved knowledge and participation of users Improved knowledge and participation of users and policymakers alikeand policymakers alike

ØØ Initiated good management practice in identified Initiated good management practice in identified ““hot spotshot spots”” –– transboundary commissions transboundary commissions

ØØ Garnered international interestGarnered international interestØØ Created forums for dialogueCreated forums for dialogueØØ Engaged Universities and NGOsEngaged Universities and NGOs

Achievements to date….

Ø Groundwater is an integral part of the overall water resource management at regional level

Ø Align the project into the broad assistance strategy of the GEF, the Bank and other donors..with converging sustainable development objectives

Ø Management of groundwater requires strong cross-sector collaboration and cooperation among national and sub-national governments

Ø Managing transboundary groundwater has unique complexities: difficult to visualize common issues, different legal/institutional frameworks, international sensitivities

Ø Strategic communication is needed early in project preparationØ Garner support at local level – i.e. Champions/local coordinators at Hot

SpotsØ Transparency, adequate financial resources and timing are critical

elements in building participatory process..create constituency..keep momentum

Lessons Learned

Challenges – Looking ahead

ØØ Provide a catalytic input to the establishment of a framework foProvide a catalytic input to the establishment of a framework for r integrated water resources management at La Plata Basinintegrated water resources management at La Plata Basin

ØØ Coordination of intervention (projects) and donors in La Plata BCoordination of intervention (projects) and donors in La Plata Basin asin and under the Mercosur agreement for the environment, towards a and under the Mercosur agreement for the environment, towards a common goal of sustainable water resources managementcommon goal of sustainable water resources management

ØØ Ensure the financial and technical sustainability of the monitorEnsure the financial and technical sustainability of the monitoring ing and evaluation systems to be established under the projectand evaluation systems to be established under the project

ØØ Assist governments in harmonizing rules and regulations at countAssist governments in harmonizing rules and regulations at country ry level that govern the sustainable management of the Guaranilevel that govern the sustainable management of the Guarani

ØØ Maintain the framework and best practices to be developed under Maintain the framework and best practices to be developed under the project in support of transboundary management of the project in support of transboundary management of groundwater, including conflict resolution, at local level. groundwater, including conflict resolution, at local level.