The Guarani Aquifer Project: Lessons Learnt to an Aquifer Managment System

The Guarani Aquifer Project: Lessons learnt to an aquifer

management system

The Guarani Aquifer Project: Lessons learnt to an aquifer

management system

Luiz AmoreGEF Third Biennial International

Waters Conference.June, 21st 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)


Outcrops Fm. Serra Geral.

Ac. Guaraní (Fm. Botucatu)


Outcrops Fm. Serra Geral

Project Rationale and Objective

Project Rationale and Objective

Rationale for intervention

Growing use and increasing demand

Signs of scarcity and pollution in transboundary and national Hot Spots

Need to account for groundwater in water resource planning and management

Prevention is less expensive

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.


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


important use and investigations

Hot Spot Ribeirão Preto


Ref. Guido Blöcher

Concordia / Salto Hot Spot

termal usetermal use


Rivera / Santana do Livramento Hot Spot

urbanized recharge areaurbanized recharge area


Itapúa Hot Spot - Paraguay

deforestation and adeforestation and agricultural usegricultural use


Key Technical issues to be addressed by the project

Identify flux and architecture of the aquifer

Determines provincial, municipal & local governments role

Identify areas of recharge and discharge

Prepare strategic action plan to prevent resource pollution and over exploitation

Quantify recharge and discharge and flow behavior

Establish quantitative targets to prevent over exploitation and landscape management practices

Evaluate geo-thermal potential Integrate groundwater into energy plan for the region

Assess vulnerability and risk Introduce risk mitigation and vulnerability reduction measures

Determine water balance at the Guarani

Promote integrated water resource management


Argentina Decision making authority over water lies in provinces Existence of provincial laws on water resources (thermalism under

discussion) Limited information: 9 deep wells, undefined Guarani western border

Brazil Decision making authority over groundwater lies in states Mineral, thermal and water bottling use governed by federal concession

regime National policy and state laws on water resources and groundwater (GW

commitee and CNRH acts) Considerable but dispersed information on groundwater (500 cities partially

or entirely supplied by the Guarani)

Paraguay Unitary State Water resources law under discussion Limited information available more than 200 wells mainly for domestic supply

Uruguay Unitary State Existence of water law and decrees related to thermal uses Considerable information available 135 wells for public water supply, irrigation and thermal tourism

Guarani Aquifer System Region: Institutional Background

Technical Base to Groundwater Technical Base to Groundwater ManagementManagement

Characterization of geo hydrodynamic parameters, quality, level and flow of groundwater

Identification of the recharge and discharge areas and compartments of the aquifer system

Development of mathematical models of geo hydrodynamic behavior and risk analysis (vulnerability and potential pollutant on local and regional scale)

Structuring of a network and an information system integrating groundwater date base (quantity and quality parameters, constructive aspects of wells, use and protection)


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.


The project will support policy makers The project will support policy makers on:on:

Formulating and harmonizing of riparian legal, technical and institutional arrangements

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

Establishing interactions between management of surface and groundwater under different aquifer conditions

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


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


Elements for the Development of the Elements for the Development of the Institutional BaseInstitutional Base

REGIONAL INTEGRATIONSupport the integration of development and

protection policies for the aquifer in the countries

STATE / NATIONAL REGULATION

Development of the basics for the management of the

groundwater and possible integration with surface waters

LOCAL MANAGEMENTIntegration of the

hydric management policies and use of

the urban / rural land


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) Multi country project management system under

operation

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

Qualification program launched to support GW involved institutions

Achievements to date…


Project of declaration of basics principles and action guidelines for the Guarani Aquifer System is being discussed in an Ad-Hoc Group of the Mercosur (since July 2004)

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

Improvement of knowledge and participation of users and policymakers alike

Engaged Universities and NGOs Garnered international interest

Achievements to date.GUARANI AQUIFER SYSTEM

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

Groundwater has to be focused to make possible the overall water resource management at each level: local, sub national, national and regional

Management of groundwater requires strong cross-sector collaboration and cooperation among national and sub-national governments and other different Organizations

Strategic communication is needed early in project preparation

Garner support at local level – i.e. local coordinators at Hot Spots

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 an integrated water resources management in the countries

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

Assist governments in harmonizing rules and 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 groundwater, including conflict resolution, at local level

Independently of institutional arrangements GW management will depends on the aquifer body approach (coordinated system)


Thank you

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


The Guarani Aquifer Project: Lessons Learnt to an Aquifer Managment System

Documents

guarani aquifer project

cities guarani aquifer

guarani system usage

guarani management framework

water bottling use

water balance

water resource planning

water resources thermalism