José Yunis, Country Representative in Colombia
for TNC
Thomas Walschburger, Lead Scientist NASCA
region, TNC
Patricia Tellez, Lead Hydrologist NASCA region,
TNC
© HaroldoPalo, Jr
Magdalena River: preventing with development by design
the loss of biodiversity, fisheries and water services
CBD Nagoya, Japan, October 20, 2010
Conserving at a watershed scale
Set priorities based on biodiversity portfolio, set
ecological limits of hydrologic alteration
(environmental flows)
Understand other sector needs and plans
Negotiate so watershed ecosystems can be
protected in the long run with a broader vision
Magdalena´s Watershed
24% of Colombian Territory
32.5 million people living in the area
77% total population and 80% country´s
GDP
7.100 m3/s in 273.459 Km2
5th most important watershed in South
America (flows)
50% endemic fish species
Collapse in fisheries, from 80.000 tons
fish catch a year to 8.000 ton/year in the
last 15 years
Out of 200.000 total tons of fish
catch/year (combined marine and
freshwater), 80.000 came from
Magdalena´s watershed
Key variables and threats to
freshwater ecosystems
Dams, Intensive Agriculture
Habitat loss:
(mining,
consolidación
de bancos)
sedimentation,
Deforestation
Deforestation,
Habitat losses
near lake and
rivers
Régimen
Hidrológico
Hábitat
Físico
Calidad
De Agua
Agriculture,
Urban sewage, waste,
Mining
Integridad
Oferta Energía
/Carbón
Conectividad
Composición
Biótica
Overfishing,
Invasive/exotic species
Dams,
Dikes,
Infrastructure
Hydrological Regime
Environmental flows needed by ecosystems and species
2000
Flujo agua
1600
1200
800
400
0
Feeding Habitats
Flooded forest
Eclosion
Riparian habitats for Adult migration
feeding grounds
After
Before
Green River Below Flaming Gorge
(1973)
16000
14000
14000
12000
12000
Flow (cfs)
16000
10000
8000
6000
8000
6000
2000
2000
0
ct
ob
ov er
e
D mb
ec er
em
be
Ja r
nu
Fe ary
br
ua
ry
M
ar
ch
Ap
ril
M
ay
Ju
ne
Ju
Au ly
Se g u
pt st
em
be
r
0
N
10000
4000
4000
O
Flow (cfs)
Green River Below Flaming Gorge
(1952)
l
ay une uly ust ber
er ber ber ary ary rch pri
b
J
M
u
a
u
g
A
o
J
m
m an
M
br
em
ct
Au pte
O ov ece J Fe
N
D
Se
© HaroldoPalo, Jr
Alteración Hidrológica
Flows
Regulated
Dam flows
Time
High Productivity
Flows
Environmental Flows
Time
High productivity
Loss of connectivity Superficial, low speed of water
•Floodplain vegetation
High productivity
River
reduced area
Lagoon
Where to protect, Freshwater
Portfolio
Classification of watersheds
according to sizes
1
2
3
4
5
Clase 1. entre 100 y 1.000 km2 (466)
Clase 2. entre 1000 y 10.000 km2 ( 33)
Clase 3. entre 10.000 y 100.000 km2 (5)
Clase 4. entre 100.000 y 1.000.000 km2 (1)
Clase 5. mayor a 1.000.000 km2
Classification
according to
biophisiycal
properties: (climate,
geology,
geomorphology,
hidrology)
150 tipos de ecosistemas diferentes
Área Activa de Inundación
y Planos inundable
FRESHWATER CONSERVATION PORTFOLIO
50 PRIORITY
BIODIVERSITY SITES
WERE IDENTIFIED IN
MAGDALENA´S
WATERSHED TO BE
PROTECTED
Límits for sustainability at a watershed scale
with a new dam
Habitats for eggs
Migrations
Fishing grounds
Floodplains
Hydropower Plan
Conservation Plan
Spawning
habitat
Headwater
habitat
Floodplain
fishery
Priority conservation river segment
Existing dam
Proposed dam
Lack of integrated planning.. race to the bottom
Compare Scenarios
Hydropower Plan
Conservation Plan
Existing dam
Proposed dam
Priority conservation river segment
Cross-compare scenarios
Locate additional dams
in already developed
segment and eliminate
conflicting dam
Locate areas of conflict
Existing dam
Proposed dam
Priority conservation river segment
Cascade
same
energy
Modify downstream
dam operations
-Similar ecosystem values
-Similar hydropower outputs
TNC´s PROPOSAL FOR THE MAGDALENA
$50 US million investment for Magdalena´s watershed for next 4 years:
US$15-20 million coming out of central government
catalytic investment
US$25-30 from regional government funding
US$2.5-5 from international cooperation
To finance 5 activities:
Protection of the 50 places of freshwater porfolio
Implementing fishing plans
Negotiate siting and economic models for energy, agriculture, mining and
aqueducts
Climate Change Adaptation
Building capacity for water management
© HaroldoPalo, Jr
Thanks
José Yunis, jyunis@tnc.org