Local actions of the Guaraní Aquifer System Project FORO MUNDIAL DEL AGUA MEXICO 2006 MEXICO, 16 AL 22 DE MARZO Elena Benitez, Directora General RH, Secretaria del Ambiente GEF / Banco Mundial / OEA CN-PARAGUAY Project - Documents EXECUTION Stage PREPARATION Stage Conceptual Document Presentation: Expression of interest by the countries to the WB and fund requirements for the preparation stage PAD / Project Brief Document Submission: the project brief document PAD Approvement: Steering committee, GEF Council and Chief Executive Officer PIP Negotiations and approvement by the countries: Signing of contract. POPs GAS Project Organization Donors and Cooperating Agencies Project Steering Committee GEF World Bank Coordination Group General Secretariat Executing Agency (OAS) National Project Execution Unit National Project Execution Unit National Project Execution Unit National Project Execution Unit Argentina Brazil Paraguay Uruguay Institutional Implementation Setting up of Preparation Committee (2000 to 2002) and Steering Committee (2003 to present) with participation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of Environment and of Water Resources (Project Responsible Agencies) of each country; Setting up of National Project Preparation Units (2000 to 2002) and Execution Unions (2003 to present); UNEP-CC Water consumption per country in 2025 and in relation to the recharge (estimated) Km3 Argentina 0,9 Brasil 11,0 Paraguay 0,4 Uruguay 0,2 Argentina Brasil Paraguay Uruguay Bajo un supuesto de abastecimiento exclusivo con el SAG Argentina Brasil Paraguay Uruguay Recarga Operative Areas North and South AREA I, includes: • In Brazil, areas of GAS located in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná; • Pilot Project Ribeirão Preto AREA II, includes: • In Brazil, areas of GAS located in the states of Santa Catarina y Rio Grande do Sul; • Part of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay territories. • Pilot Project Rivera/Santana • Pilot Project Concordia/Salto • Pilot Project Itapúa - Paraguay Pilot Project Ribeirão Preto – Brazil INTENSIVE GROUNDWATER USE IN AN URBAN AREA Pilot Project Rivera/Santana do Livramento GOUNDWATER POLLUTION Pilot Project Concordia / Salto TOURISM DEVELOPMENT of THERMAL WATERS Pilot Project Itapúa – Paraguay AGRICULTURE WATER, SOIL and VEGETATION SAG PY Sustainable Use of the Guaraní Aquífer System Area = 71 700 km² - 18 % of Paraguay surface - 100 % of Guaraní aquifer in Paraguay - 6 % of whole Guaraní aquifer Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources Asunción Montevideo General Project Progress • BIDDINGS – Consolidation and evaluation of the Acquisition Plan by the World Bank; – “Base Map” – and “General Hydrogeology”; – Biddings for the North and South Areas • PROJECT MANAGEMENT – Setting of an information system for project management, on-going 2004 • NATIONAL COMPENSATIONS – Terms of reference, first results • UNIVERSITY FUNDS Results of approved project executions (9) by end of Oct. 2005 • GUARANÍ CITIZEN FUND – 22 proposals awarded aimed to broadcasting, communication and environmental education • PROJECT BROADCASTING – Elaboration of broadcasting material (video and leaflets); hiring of a social communicator Main Regional Impacts The Guaraní Aquifer Project is included in the region’s Schedule (presidential declarations); Compilation of the Declaration of Guaraní Initial Framework, Steering Committee; Important members support (IAEA, BGR); Set up of Local Coordination Committees for the transboundary Pilot Projects; Academic Institutions involved (17) in improvement of basic knowledge – Universities Fund; youth interested in investigations Example for the management of other transboundary aquifers and for integrated management of water resources; Preventive actions for management of Guaraní publicly broadcasted (Guaraní Citizen Fund, 24 proposals); Press interested in GAS and society impact! Visualization and Interaction of SAG with the other Plata Basin Projects HYDROGEOLOGICAL DATABASE Structure and codification referred to the thematic information will be defined (geology, geophysics, hydrochemistry, isotopes, drilling, water use, others). To estimate values of recharge and probable discharge, a regional balance for the whole area is foreseen. MONITORING NET Operating in all 4 countries. It is assumed that periodic data will be gathered from some 180 wells. Starting with a net design, its implementation and the final submission to the countries is foreseen. BASIC HYDROGEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION Possible hydraulic connections with other aquifers and superficial hydraulic systems will be determined at regional scale. REGIONAL HYDROGEOLOGICAL MAP OF GAS In a 1:3,000,000 scale with information at a 1:250,000 scale. Integration of various specific information layers and thematic maps more detailed. In digital format and integrated in the SISAG. Visualization and Interaction of SAG with the other Plata Basin Projects CONCEPTUAL AND NUMERICAL MODEL OF GAS First conceptual model. Includes the geological structures, calibration and validation of the model. First results in Paraguay. POTENTIAL OF THERMAL AND NON-THERMAL RESOURCES Evaluates vulnerability and contamination risks in the pilot areas and at regional scale. Additionally, the analysis of technological-social-economical trends of use and their distributions on the GAS. SOCIAL ASPECTS Environmental education, social communication and broadcasting of various environmental and hydraulic aspects. Encouragement of public participation. PILOT PROJECTS Management experiences in areas with potential conflicts regarding use of water resources and soil. Essentials of the Project Groundwater management requires a strong cross interaction and cooperation between national and sub national governments. Management of transboundary groundwater is complex: difficulties in visualizing common aspects, different legal and institutional frameworks, international sensibilities and different social visions; Strategic communication has been practiced from the very start of project preparation. Commonly shared knowledge forms the base for quantified groundwater resources to be shared and protected commonly. FORO MUNDIAL DEL AGUA MEXICO 2006 MEXICO DEL 16 AL 22 DE MARZO http://www.sg-guarani.org/ http://www.sag-py.org/