GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
The Guarani Aquifer Project:Lessons learnt to a groundwater
t tmanagement system
Luiz AmoreUNESCO-IHP, Paris.
March of 2005March of 2005
GEF / WB / OASGEF / WB / OAS
Guarani Aquifer System:Guarani Aquifer System: Main CharacteristicsMain Characteristicsq yq y
Plata
BasaltGuarani
Area: 1.2 million km2
Population: 30 millionpReserves: 40,000 – 150,000 km3
Recharge: 40 – 60 km3/yearDischarge
g yDepth: 0 to -1800 mThickness: 250 m
Guarani
Temperature: 33°C - 85°C Recharge
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Uses of Guarani System
Usage: 2-4 km3/year (50 to 100 m3/s)
urban supply
70%
industrial20%
recreation5%
Number of wells: 2600+ (500 cities)
rural5%
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Ac. Guaraní (Fm. Botucatu)
Outcrops Fm. Serra Geral.Outcrops Fm. Serra Geral
P j t R ti l d Obj tiGUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Project Rationale and ObjectiveRationale for intervention
Growing use and increasingObjective
Growing use and increasing demand
P ti i l i
Support Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay toj i tl l b t dPrevention is less expensive
Signs of scarcity and pollution in i
jointly elaborate and implement a coordinatedinstitutional framework fortransboundary and national Hot
Spots
institutional framework for managing the transboundary Guarani Aquifer System for
Need to account for groundwater in water resource planning and management
current and future generations.
management
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Project components and expected resultsj p pComponents
I. Improve knowledge base Main Outcomes
a) Multi-country agreement on p gon Guarani
II. Guarani management framework
) y ginstitutional and technical framework
b) Functioning information III. Participation, education &
communicationIV Monitoring and
) gsystem and monitoring network
c) Transboundary DiagnosticIV. Monitoring and dissemination of results
V. Pilot projects in identified Hot Spots
c) Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
d) Strategic Action Programe) Joint legal frameworkHot Spots
VI. Assessment of geothermal energy, and
e) Joint legal framework proposal
VII. Project coordination.
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Hot Spot Ribeirão PretoHot Spot Ribeirão Preto
important use and investigations
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Concordia / Salto Hot Spot
termal usetermal use
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Rivera / Santana do Livramento Hot Spot
urbanized recharge areaurbanized recharge area
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Itapúa Hot Spot - Paraguay
agricultural useagricultural use
Argentina
Guarani Aquifer System Region: Institutional Background
ArgentinaDecision making authority over water lies in provincesExistence of provincial laws on water resources (thermalism under discussion)Li it d i f ti 9 d ll d fi d G i t b dLimited information: 9 deep wells, undefined Guarani western border
BrazilDecision making authority over groundwater lies under state governmentsMineral, thermal and water bottling use governed by federal concession regimeNational and state laws on water resources and groundwaterConsiderable but dispersed information on groundwater (500 cities partiallyConsiderable but dispersed information on groundwater (500 cities partially or entirely supplied by the Guarani)
ParaguayUnitary StateUnitary StateWater resources law under discussionLimited information available more than 200 wells mainly for domestic supplyy pp y
UruguayUnitary StateExistence of water law and decrees related to thermal uses Considerable information available 135 wells for public water supply, irrigation and thermal tourism
Key Technical issues to be addressed byGUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
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 Prepare strategic action plan to y gdischarge
p g pprevent resource pollution and over exploitation
Quantify recharge and discharge Establish quantitative targets to 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 Evaluate geo-thermal potential Integrate groundwater into energy plan for the region
Assess vulnerability and risk Introduce risk mitigation and l bilit d ti vulnerability reduction measures
Determine water balance at the G i
Promote integrated water resource managementGuarani resource management
Th j t ill t li kTh j t ill t li kGUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
The project will support policy makers on:The project will support policy makers on:Formulating and harmonizing of riparian legal, g g p g ,technical and institutional arrangements
Mainstreaming best practices in groundwater management into each country’s development g y pagenda
Establishing interactions between management of surface and groundwater
The establishment of local management and l i i ll b d (h )planning, especially at transboundary (hot spot)
areas
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Technical Base to Groundwater ManagementTechnical Base to Groundwater Management
Characterization of geo hydrodynamic parameters, quality, level and flow f d tof groundwater
Identification of the recharge and discharge areas and compartments of the aquifer system
Development of mathematical models of geo hydrodynamic behavior and p g y yrisk 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)aspects of wells, use and protection)
PHYSICAL MAIN GENERAL RELEVANCE TO APPLICATION TO
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
PHYSICALANALOGUE
MAINCHARACTERISTICS
GENERAL RELEVANCE TO GROUNDWATER
APPLICATION TO SAG
(Underground) River
‘water flowing to a common terminus’ with (by implication) limited residence ti i fl d i t
only karstic limestones (around 15-20% of aquifers)
notappropriate
time, since flow dominates over storage
Hydrocarbon Reservoir
completely isolated from surface processes and without any resource replenishment
exceptional, and of little social/economic interest (perhaps5% of aquifers)
notappropriate
(Underground) storage dominated, with storage dominated but still not( g )Lake
g ,immediate propagation ofphysical perturbations butslower impact of qualitychanges
ginappropriate, since aquifershave much more bufferingcapacity and some naturalprotection
appropriate
changes protection
Elements for the Development of the Institutional BaseElements for the Development of the Institutional BaseGUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Elements for the Development of the Institutional BaseElements for the Development of the Institutional Base
REGIONAL INTEGRATIONS t th i t ti f d l t dSupport the integration of development and
protection policies for the aquifer in the countries
STATE / NATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Development of the basics for the management of the groundwater andmanagement of the groundwater and
possible integration with surface waters
LOCAL LOCAL MANAGEMENT
Integration of the hydric management policies and use of the urban /
l l drural land
Achievements to dateGUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Project of declaration of basics principles and action id li f th G i A if S t i b i
Achievements to date….guidelines for the Guarani Aquifer System is being discussed in an Ad-Hoc Group of the Mercosur (since july 2004) j y )Strengthened commitment to jointly develop the Guarani (e.g. CSDP, NCs, GS-GAS, political support…)Improvement of knowledge and participation of users and policymakers alikeInitiated good management practice in identified “hot spots” – transboundary commissions Garnered international interestGarnered international interestCreated forums for dialogueE d U i iti d NGOEngaged Universities and NGOs
Lessons LearnedGUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Managing transboundary groundwater has unique complexities: difficult to
Lessons Learned
visualize common issues, different legal/institutional frameworks, international sensitivities Groundwater has to be focused to make possible the overall waterGroundwater has to be focused to make possible the overall water resource management at each level: local, subnational, national and regionalManagement of groundwater requires strong cross-sector collaboration and cooperation among national and sub-national governments and other different OrganizationsgStrategic communication is needed early in project preparationGarner support at local level – i.e. local coordinators at Hot SpotsTransparency, adequate financial resources and timing are critical elements in building participatory process..create constituency..keep momentummomentum
Ch ll L ki h dGUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Challenges – Looking ahead
Provide a catalytic input to the establishment of a framework for integrated groundwater resources management in the countries
Ensure the financial and technical sustainability of the monitoring and evaluation systems to be established under 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 p j pp y ggroundwater, including conflict resolution, at local level.
GUARANI AQÜIFER SYSTEM
Thank youy
iiwww.sgwww.sg--guarani.orgguarani.org
