Rev. 09-2010 Document 521 PRE-ASSESSMENT REPORT CHAPTER: Denver Professional Chapter COUNTRY: Ecuador COMMUNITY: Malingua Pamba PROJECT: Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control Site Assessment TRAVEL DATES: June 2011 PREPARED BY Will Mahoney, P.G. (traveler) Review Provided by Mark Richards, P.E. (Travel Team Lead) Submittal Date: March 13, 2011 Rev. 09-2010 ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS-USA www.ewb-usa.org Pre-Assessment Report Part 1 – Administrative Information 1.0 Contact Information Project Title Name Project Leads President Mentor #1 Mentor #2 Faculty Advisor (if applicable) Health and Safety Officer Assistant Health and Safety Officer Education Lead NGO/Community Contact 2.0 Chris Kurtz Mark Donahue Email chrispkurtz@gmail.com donohuema@hotmail.com Phone 720-834-4310 303-842-3813 Chapter Name or Organization Name Denver Professional Denver Professional N/A (THIS IS ENTIRELY A PROFESSIONAL CHAPTER TRIP) Mark Richards mrichards@brwncald.com 303-733-4332 Denver Professional Paul Allen Paul.Allen@ch2m.com 720-286-1439 Denver Professional N/A (NO EDUCTIONAL WORK IS BEING PERFORMED ON THIS TRIP) Pam Gilbert gilbertp0012@yahoo.com 303-543-8223 Founder of Centro Educativo La Minga, Inc. Travel History Dates of Travel Assessment or Implementation November 2006 Assessment April 2007 Assessment and Implementation October 2007 Assessment and Implementation April 2008 Assessment and Implementation Description of Trip (1) Survey of potable water system, (2) Monitor potable water quality, (3) Perform community health assessment, and (4) Build relationships with community members (1) Install flume to measure watershed yield, (2) Map potable and irrigation water system using GPS devices, (3) Train local student to use GPS devices and measure watershed yield such that data collection can occur after the April 2007 assessment trip, (4) Replace undersized or broken potable water pipes, (5) Train local master plumbers who will be responsible for maintaining water systems and distributing project tools for community use (1) Install concrete pressure break/sediment control tank along major potable water line to control excessive pressure, (2) construct protective box around spring to avoid clogging of intake, (3) Continue survey of potable and irrigation water system, (3) Perform follow-up water quality monitoring, and (4) Continue to work with training local students and plumber maestros (1) Train community members in pouring and plumbing of concrete pressure break tank to increase reliability in water delivery, and construct/plumb 2 tanks on potable water lines (2) Rehab portions of secondary and tertiary water lines to reduce water waste at points of delivery and train community in plumbing protocols Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control October 2008 Implementation April 2009 Assessment and Implementation Assessment and Implementation July 2009 November 2009 Assessment and Implementation June 2010 Assessment 3.0 (1) Install additional hydraulic pressure break tank along major potable water line with maestros, (2) Train local plumber maestros to prepare cost estimates, (3) Discuss future water needs of the village, (4) Develop action plan for tank construction and waterline extension during month following EWB visit (1) Met with potable and irrigation water boards to discuss operations and maintenance. (1) Preliminary implementation/construction of irrigation system including 2 tanks, associated piping, and various rehabilitation of existing irrigation system. (2) Assessment of irrigation system layout. (3)Discussions with water boards regarding financing and management of the potable and irrigation systems (1) Construction of 2 potable water tanks and associated potable water pipeline. (2) Discussions with Paulino and water board regarding community desires, water system management, etc. (1) Assessing what was constructed between last irrigation implementation trip and this trip. (2) Conduct pressure and flow tests as well as water quality tests. (3) Meet with and interview potable board. (4) Assess possible locations for botanical and dendrological based erosion. (5) Build relationship with the local water board and community: Travel Team (Should be 8 or less): # Name 1 2 3 4 Rev. 09-2010 Mark Richards (Lead) Paul Allen Will Mahoney Fourth Traveller (Denver Professional) E-mail Phone mrichards@brwncald.com Paul.Allen@ch2m.com wbmahoney@gmail.com TBD 303-919-6005 720-286-1439 303-770-1690 TBD Chapter Denver Denver Denver TBD Student or Professional Professional Professional Professional TBD Not Used 5 4.0 Health and Safety A site specific Health and Safety Plan (HASP) is provided as an appendix to this report. This updated HASP is being submitted which is specific for the Scope of Work to be performed on this trip. The upcoming travel team will review and comply with the updated HASP that has been submitted as a standalone document along with this pre-trip report. The follow sections provide a few highlights from the HASP. 4.1 State Department Warning No, there are not currently any travel warnings (as Checked on January 12th 2011). Page 2 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control 4.2 Rev. 09-2010 Point to point travel detail The travel team will be picked up by our in-country translator and driver, Jill Sare or another local driver whom we have used many times before. Jill has worked with us before on previous trips. She is an expatriate living in Ecuador with her own vehicle. 4.3 Safety Plan Members will not travel alone. They will always have radios to maintain contact with other team members. There is a first aid kit in the village (left by previous EWB visitors) that is reserved exclusively for EWB use. Each EWB traveler will review and follow EWB “Travel Tips.” Bottled drinking water will be purchased before arrival in the village. Any water consumed in the village will be bottled or boiled. 4.4 Emergency Plan and Exit Strategy The traveling group has a vehicle and driver continuously at their disposal. Also, the group has been informed of the EWB membership in the SOS International Service and the account number. Travel insurance will be arranged with EWB-USA, which includes medical care and evacuation insurance. 4.5 5.0 Contacts 4.5.1 On-the-ground phone number and email for travel team Jill Sare; jillsare@gmail.com 4.5.2 Nearest US Consulate Contact Information Patria and 12 de Octubre Avenues, Quito Telephone: 593-2-254-9083, after hours 593-2-223-4126 Email: QuitoConsular@state.gov 4.5.3 Nearest Hospital Contact Information Hospital Claudio Benati, Zumbahua, Ecuador Budget 5.1 Cost Expense Airfare On Ground Materials Other Total Total Cost $1400 300 50 200 $1950 Page 3 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control 5.2 Donors and Funding Donor Name SOIL Fund (International Erosion Control Association) Total Amount Raised: 6.0 Rev. 09-2010 Type (company, foundation, private, in-kind) Non-Profit Organization – 501(c)(3) Account Kept at EWB-USA? Amount $1950 $1950 Project Discipline(s): Check the specific project discipline(s) addressed in this report. Check all that apply. Water Supply ____ Source Development ____ Water Storage __x_ Water Distribution ____ Water Treatment ____ Water Pump Sanitation ____ Latrine ____ Gray Water System ____ Black Water System 7.0 Civil Works ____ Roads ____ Drainage ____ Dams Energy ____ Fuel ____ Electricity Information Systems ____ Computer Service 78°51'54.50"W 0°49'20.75"S Project Impact Number of Persons directly affected: Number of Persons indirectly affected: 9.0 Agriculture ____ Irrigation Pump ____ Irrigation Line ____ Water Storage ____ Soil Improvement ____ Fish Farm ____ Crop Processing Equipment Project Location Longitude: Latitude: 8.0 Structures ____ Bridge ____ Building To be determined 720 Mentor Resume - Please see document 405 - Mentor Qualifications for Professional Mentor/Technical Lead requirements related to the project area. This can be found in the Sourcebook Downloads on the member pages of the website. Page 4 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control Rev. 09-2010 Pre-Assessment Report Part 2 – Technical Information 1.0 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this document is to briefly explain the erosion problems in Malingua Pamba which have developed a result of land management practices and construction of the community’s water system. In order to define the extent of the erosion problem and evaluate possible solutions, an erosion control specialist will accompany the EWBDenver team which will be completing the implementation portion of the potable water system. The trip will take place in June 2011. 2.0 PROGRAM BACKGROUND EWB-Denver has been involved with work on the Malingua Pamba potable water and irrigation systems since 2006. The community had potable water and irrigation systems that were installed by various organizations prior to EWB’s initial involvement. The systems were either falling apart or incomplete. Thanks to EWB’s efforts and the enthusiastic cooperation of the local community, the water system is now nearly complete and serves most members of the community. More detailed background information regarding details of previous involvement may be found in the previously published report entitled “Malingua Pamba Water Project - Report on Assessment and Implementation Activities, 2006 through 2008” (MP Water Report) as well as the recently-submitted Pre-Implementation Report (Document 525) submitted for the Malingua Pamba Water Project, May 2011. Construction of the water systems exacerbated an already tenuous soil-stability situation that had been developing over many years. Prior to agricultural development, the area supported a cloud forest which was sustained by rich, deep organic soils. With clearing for crops and grazing, organic topsoil has gradually been eroded down to sandy, highly erosive, volcanic sub-soil. Following construction of water lines and holding/distribution tanks on steep local hillsides, erosion and gullying has developed in these fragile soils. During the most recent (June 2010) EWB-Denver assessment trip to Malingua Pamba, an engineer (Chris McLaughlin) and an ecologist (Laura Baucus) did a preliminary assessment of erosion problems in four areas including photo documentation. The erosion problem at Malingua Pamba came to the attention of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) which is headquartered in Denver and is the world’s oldest and largest association devoted to helping members solve the problems caused by erosion and its byproduct—sediment. IECA connects 3,000 members who specialize in erosion and sediment control, stormwater management, and natural resource protection. Page 5 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control Rev. 09-2010 IECA has created a charitable organization called the SOIL (“Save Our International Land”) Fund. The vision of the SOIL Fund is to further the science of erosion and sediment control and to improve the lives of those impacted by soil erosion and sedimentation on land and in water bodies. The SOIL Fund provides a permanent funding source for programs and projects that improve environmental quality through education, research, and applied technology. The Fund has provided previous support to the Tsurakú Project in eastern Ecuador (through an EWB chapter in Arizona), a water quality project in western Kenya, a biological soil crust research and development project, and a reforestation project on Easter Island, a Chilean territory in the South Pacific. The SOIL Fund has agreed to provide financial and technical support to an erosion control specialist who will accompany the EWB-Denver team during its June 2011 implementation trip to Malingua Pamba. This initial trip for the erosion control specialist would be for site assessment only. Implementation of erosion and sediment control measures would take place during subsequent trips. 3.0 OBJECTIVES OF SITE ASSESSMENT TRIP The objective of the SOIL Fund’s erosion control specialist would be to document and assess the nature and extent of erosion and sedimentation issues in the community during the June 2011 site assessment trip. Secondary objectives would be 1) seek input from the community regarding local priorities for areas needing erosion treatment and control 2) contact and seek input from Jose Calvopiña, an agricultural conservationist who provides conservation services and environmental education in the region and 3) determine the local and in-country availability of materials that can be used in erosion and sediment control. Following the site assessment trip, EWB-Denver and the SOIL Fund would need to assess the data and come to an agreement on technologically appropriate and sustainable approaches to the erosion problems. During a subsequent implementation trip, the erosion control specialist, ecologist, and other interested EWB-Denver professionals would assist the community in the implementation of the proposed solutions. The specific goals of implementation would be to: 1) recover land currently damaged by erosion so that it could be returned to cultivation or forest. 2) reduce the volume of sediment and debris within the potable water and irrigation systems which is interfering with flow capacity and proper functioning of equipment. 3) reduce sediment loads in local streams which will improve aquatic habitats in the community and downstream. Page 6 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control 4.0 4.1 Rev. 09-2010 COMMUNITY INFORMATION Description of Community The Malingua Pamba project area is situated in the Andes Mountains in the state of Cotopaxi, Ecuador, at an elevation of approximately 3,000 to 3,600 meters above sea level. The area is located west of Latacunga (which is south of Ecuador’s capital city of Quito) in the parroquia of Isinliví, cantón of Sigchos. The scope of the Malingua Pamba Water Project includes assessment of the water supply and improvement of potable and irrigation water supplies for the communities (communidades) of Malingua Pamba and Tunguiche. These two communities are separate political entities but are located in the same watershed and share a common water right to surface waters and springs within the watershed. Total population of the two communities is currently around 720. Each community has a central area that contains a school, church and a small concentration of buildings. In addition to the central areas, each community encompasses a larger geographical area composed of sectors (sectores) where most families of the community live and farm. Sectors of Malingua Pamba include Malingua (the central area), Chilcaucu and Pucará. Sectors of Tunguiche include Tunguiche (the central area), Quadrapamba, Pinalí, Cachiloma,Yana Yacu, Chimbusí and Tingo. The 3-pipline water system which existed before the EWB improvements is owned and operated by the community. Most of the potable system pipelines run on community property; however a segment of the pipeline also crosses Sacatoro family land. EWBDenver has promoted and advised the community on formation of the Potable Water Board of Malingua which has owned and operated the potable systems since its formation nearly 3 years ago. The source, all the major tanks, valve boxes and pipelines are located on community property and are owned publicly. Several NGOs have been involved with the community, but no NGO owns any part of the system. 4.2 Community and Partnering Organization/NGO Resources and Constraints Pam Gilbert, a retired math teacher from Boulder, Colorado, has been involved with educational and community development in Malingua Pamba for several years and founded an NGO (Centro Educativo La Minga, www.escuelaminga.org) to support these activities. Among her accomplishments, she obtained funding for and organized the building of the Escuela Minga, a secondary school (colegio), in Malingua Pamba to serve Malingua Pamba and surrounding sectors. Pam Gilbert approached EWB-Denver in the summer of 2006 for assistance in improving the water supply in Malingua Pamba so that, Page 7 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control Rev. 09-2010 at a minimum, the community shower at the colegio could be made operational, and, to address other potential water supply problems in the village. Other organizations which currently provide funding for EWB for the water supply project are Rotary International, CH2M Hill, and Brown and Caldwell. The SOIL Fund of IECA is proposing to provide financial and technical support for an erosion assessment and erosion/sediment control measures in Malingua Pamba. Further details are provided above in sections 2.0 and 3.0. There are financial, logistical, and sustainability constraints to an erosion/sediment control program for Malingua Pamba. The SOIL Fund’s current financial resources and commitments to its reforestration program on Easter Island will limit its ability to provide material support for efforts in Malingua Pamba. However, once the site assessment has been completed, the SOIL Fund will explore options for receiving erosion/sediment control materials from Ecuadorian or international suppliers operating in Ecuador at a reduced cost or at no charge. As the world’s leading erosion control association, IECA has developed relationships with suppliers who are often receptive to providing assistance in return for favorable publicity for their products. Poor roads linking Malingua Pamba with Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador’s major industrial centers, may pose logistical and financial obstacles to delivering manufactured erosion and sediment control products to the community. Furthermore, unless affordable products are available on a long-term basis, their effectiveness may not be sustainable if erosion problems persist over several years. Thus, SOIL Fund professionals in cooperation with EWB-Denver will need to keep these potential constraints in mind when designing an erosion and sediment control program for the community. And factors that will not be constraints are the technical ability and necessary tools needed to install and maintain erosion and sediment control “best management practices” (BMPs). Members of the community have proved themselves quite adept at basic construction techniques. They can easily be taught to work with manufactured items such as erosion control netting (made from natural fibers) and straw wattles. They have the basic tools and a large and enthusiastic labor force needed for installation and maintenance of erosion and sediment control BMPs. 4.3 Community Relations EWB-Denver has worked closely with the community during the visits undertaken in 2006 through 2010 to understand their needs, their vision for the water systems, and to identify areas where EWB can provide training and support to the community so that they will be able to manage and maintain their water systems and adapt to future needs after EWB’s involvement ends. EWB’s work in this area has included participation in Page 8 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control Rev. 09-2010 community meetings, dialogue with community leaders, adaptation of plans to meet community priorities, implementation of training programs, continued communications via email, and in-country liaisons between trips. EWB’s main contact with the community has been through Pam Gilbert, who heads up Centro Educativo La Minga, a Boulder, Colorado-based NGO that supports community education projects and through Paulino Sacatoro, the community and water board president. Most logistics and plans are coordinated through Señor Sacatoro. One of the first priorities of the SOIL Fund’s representative would be to develop a good working relationship with Señor Sacatoro and Ms. Gilbert. 4.4 Community Priorities Community priorities for erosion/sediment control are not currently known. It will be important for the SOIL Fund professional to find out locations of eroded areas which are of greatest concern to the community and concentrate on these areas first. 5.0 5.1 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Site Mapping In support of the Maligua Pamba Water Project, EWB field engineers mapped water system lines in 2007 using hand-held Garmin GPS units. Data from the GPS units was processed using the DeLorme Topo program for computer-aided mapping. Base map themes (roads, contour lines, streams) were digitized from the Instituto Geografico Militar 1:25,000 quadrangle map which provides coverage of the community. These features were imported into Topo ‘Draw Files’. The SOIL Fund’s erosion control specialist will map erosion areas using a Garmin GPS unit. Field data points will later be uploaded into EWB-Denver’s map data base. A map showing the location and extent of erosion problem areas within the community can then be produced. In addition, the area (square meters) of each eroded location can be calculated using the GPS data enabling determination of the amount of erosion/sediment control BMPs which would be needed during the implementation phase. 5.2 Technical Data Collection EWB-Denver is proposing a June 2011 implementation trip which will focus on the community’s potable water system. The erosion control specialist will accompany EWB engineers into the field. These engineers have been on previous trips to the community and are familiar with the local geography and, in particular, eroded areas in need of treatment. Page 9 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control Rev. 09-2010 The erosion control specialist will focus data collection efforts on 1) four areas of concern identified by an EWB-Denver engineer and ecologist during the June 2010 trip, 2) any additional areas identified by the community which are most in need of erosion/sediment controls, and 3) other significant erosion areas observed in the course of walking around the community with the EWB engineers who will be working on the potable water system. As noted in Section 5.1, points, lines, and areas of eroded locations will be recorded using a Garmin GPS unit. Field notes will describe soils, any vegetation present, possible causes of the erosion, depths and widths of erosion features, past community erosion control efforts (such as the reported planting of local trees called lucheros in eroded areas), associated downslope and stream sedimentation, and possible mitigation measures and BMPs which could be used in the implementation phase. Photographs (keyed to locations) will be taken to better illustrate field note descriptions. Following the site assessment, field notes will be transcribed and a report (illustrated with photos and location maps) will be prepared and submitted to EWB-Denver and the SOIL Fund. The report will include alternative recommendations for erosion and sediment mitigation and controls comparing costs, availability of materials, sustainability, and potential effectiveness. Input from EWB-Denver and IECA professionals as well as the Malingua Pamba community will be solicited and incorporated into the report recommendations. 6.0 MONITORING The purpose of the June 2011 trip by an erosion control specialist is for site assessment only. Monitoring will be carried out once erosion control BMPs and other mitigation measures are put in place in a subsequent phase. 6.1 Monitoring of past-implemented projects To date, there have apparently been no systematic erosion control projects in Malingua Pamba. As noted above in Section 5.2, the community has planted luchero trees to control erosion in some areas. The site assessment will consider the success of tree planting and any other community efforts. 7.0 COMMUNITY AGREEMENT/CONTRACT It is anticipated that the local community would provide labor and tools for installation and maintenance of BMPs and other mitigation measures. They would also gather locally available materials such as rock, soil, downed timber, and seed for use in BMP Page 10 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control Rev. 09-2010 construction. An agreement between the EWB-Denver, the SOIL Fund, and the community would be developed following discussions with community leaders during the June 2011 site assessment. EWB-Denver has similar agreements with the community regarding responsibilities for the water supply system. We would rely on EWB for guidance in developing agreements with the community. 8.0 SCHEDULE OF TASKS The site assessment will be conducted during the June 2011 EWB-Denver potable water system implementation trip. The erosion control specialist’s schedule for travel, technical data collection/mapping, and meetings with community leaders will be coordinated with the water system implementation team. To the maximum extent possible, the erosion control specialist will conduct work in tandem with the water system team in order to reduce costs, maximize use of community and EWB resources, and minimize any impacts to the water system team’s work. 9.0 PROJECT FEASIBILITY An erosion control site assessment in Malingua Pamba should be very feasible because of the technical and financial support from the SOIL Fund, local logistical support of Centro Educativo La Minga, the history of cooperation between EWB-Denver and the community, and the knowledge and community experience of the EWB-Denver potable water system implementation team which will be visiting the community at the same time. The feasibility of subsequent implementation of an erosion/sediment control program will be better understood following the initial site assessment. The SOIL Fund is confident that some success with erosion/sediment control can be achieved with the help of the local community. The extent of the success will depend on the availability of local materials for use in BMPs, success in the revegetation of treated areas, and the feasibility and sustainability of using low-tech erosion control products which are available incountry. 10.0 MENTOR ASSESSMENT This pre-assessment document was prepared by Will Mahoney on behalf of the SOIL Fund and with input from EWB-Denver professionals including Mark Richards, Technical Lead for the June 2011 potable water system implementation team, and Laura Baucus, an ecologist who chairs EWB-Denver’s erosion control group. Page 11 Document 521 - Pre-Assessment Report Denver Professional Malingua Pamba, Ecuador Malingua Pamba Water Project – Erosion Control 10.1 Rev. 09-2010 Professional Mentor/Technical Lead Name (who wrote the assessment) Will Mahoney will be the technical lead for the erosion site assessment in June 2011. Mr. Mahoney is Senior Environmental Scientist with more than 30 years experience in North America, Africa, Asia, and South America working primarily on natural resources development projects. He is currently involved with storm water management work for the oil exploration industry in Colorado and Wyoming. He is a Registered Professional Geologist (Wyoming) and a Certified Professional in Storm Water Quality (CPSWQ). Mr. Mahoney has been a member of IECA since 2001 and currently serves on the SOIL Fund’s project selection committee. He is also a member of EWB-Denver. He holds an A.S. in environmental technology from Front Range Community College (Colorado), a B.A. in geology from Ohio State University, and an M.A. in Geography from the University of Montana. Will Mahoney is reasonably functional in Spanish. He studied with a private tutor in Denver for several years and spent a month in Guatemala in a Spanish immersion program in 2000 where he also did volunteer work for a local environmental group. In 1998, he was a visiting scientist at the Instituto Mexicano de Agua y Tecnologia in Cuernavaca. He is comfortable working in developing countries. In addition to volunteer work in Niger, Mexico, Guatemala, and Brazil, he has been employed in Botswana, Pakistan, and Turkey. 10.2 Professional Mentor/Technical Lead Affirmation Will Mahoney acknowledges his involvement in the development of the assessment trip plan and accepts responsibility for the course that erosion control work will take on the Malingua Pamba Project. Page 12