La Plata River Basin

Raquel Flinker

Climate Map (Source: http://splashman.phoenix.wikispaces.net)

88% shared water resources

77% hydroelectric power

Amazon Rainforest

Brazilian Sertão

La Plata Basin (Source: Wikipedia / USGS)

La Plata Basin• Area of approximately 3,000,000 Km2 • Fifth largest basin in the world • Second largest basin in South America• Basin is shared by five countries:

– Argentina: 29.7%, – Bolivia: 6.6%, – Brazil: 45.7%,– Paraguay: 13.2%– Uruguay: 4.8%

La Plata Basin

• Important and varied ecosystems: Pantanal (most extensive wetland in the world), Atlantic Forest, Chaco and Savannah

• Guarani aquifer (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay & Uruguay)

• 70% of the combined GDP of the five countries • Agriculture, livestock and fishing are the main

economical activities in the region

Pantanal

Hydroelectric Potential• Approximately 75 dams in the basin• Three of the main dams are:

– Itaipú - largest dam in the world: Paraná river between Brazil and Paraguay– Salto Grande: Uruguay river on border between Argentina and Uruguay– Yacyretá: Paraná river on the border between Argentina and Paraguay

• Paraguay: depends almost entirely on hydropower for its electricity• Brazil: 46% of the electricity comes from dams on the Paraná River• The hydroelectric potential in the basin is approximately 100,000 MW of

which half is being utilized

Itaipú Salto Grande Yacyretá

Water Resources LegislationCountry Water Resources Legislation

Argentina

No national water resources legislation - Provinces do not accept a federal regulation Provinces determine legislation locally Developing national guidelines regarding water resources

Bolivia No national water resources legislation Several group conflicts regarding water rights and environmental impacts

Brazil Has a water resources national policy Water agency created in 2000 Almost all states have water resources legislation Rivers/basins that extend through more than one state are classified as federal (does not specify sub basins conecting to federal rivers)

Paraguay No water resources legislation Uruguay Federal water code exists since 1979

Public ownership of water in all five countries except Uruguay

1969 Treaty

• In 1967, the Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee (CIC) was established by the five countries as the coordinating mechanism of the Basin

• Two years later, in 1969, they signed the la Plata Basin Treaty, the main legal instrument of the Basin

• After this treaty, several other treaties were signed by two or three countries -> weaknesses of the 1969 agreement

Main International Treaties after the La Plata Basin Treaty

Treaty Countries Involved YearConvention to Study the Use of the Rio Paraná's Resources Argentina and Paraguay 1971Rio Paraná's Joint Commission Argentina and Paraguay 1971Yacyretá Treaty Argentina and Paraguay 1973Salto Grande Joint Technical Commission Creation Treaty Argentina and Uruguay 1973"Itaipú Binacional" Creation Treaty Brazil and Paraguay 1973Lagoa Mirim Basin Treaty Brazil and Uruguay 1978

Three Party Corpus and Itaipú TreatyBrazil, Argentina and Paraguay 1979

Rio Uruguay and Peperi Guaçu Treaty Brazil and Argentina 1983Rio Quarai Natural Resources Use and Development Cooperation agreement Brazil and Uruguay 1992

Rio Pilcomayo Binational Commission Creation Treaty Argentina and Paraguay 1993

Rio Pilcomayo Trinational Commission Creation TreatyArgentina, Bolivia and Paraguay 1995

Rio Bermejo Binational Commission Creation Treaty Argentina and Bolivia 1995

80’s

Brazil´s Position

Direction of water flow in the Amazon and La Plata Basins

Climate Change• Region is affected by El niño and La Niña• Increase in rainfall and river flow in certain regions causing:

– Soil erosion– Increase in water levels and flood frequency– Change of river beds and riparian environmental conditions– Increase in hydroelectric production– Change in water quality due to suspension of sediments during floods

• Studies indicate that in certain regions of the basin, increases of 16% in annual rainfall result in 35% increase in discharge. The trend is thought to be linked partly to changes in land use, such as deforestation and increased soybean cultivation.

• 70% of the precipitation evaporates and only 30% reaches the rivers• Vulnerable region: highly dependent on agriculture, hydroelectric

power and navigation.

Future

The revitalization of CIC, the Marco Project focused on the sustainable development of the natural resources in the La Plata Basin and the environmental protection and sustainable development project of the Guarani Aquifer are demonstrating a tendency in integrated basin management

Questions???

1. What is your opinion on the different country legislations?

2. What went wrong with the 1969 treaty?3. After many years of bilateral agreements,

how can we promote multilateral cooperation?

4. How should these countries prepare for climate change effects?

Hidrovia Paraguai-Paraná

• Hidrovia agreement was signed in 1992

• Can lead to erosion, flooding, loss of biodiversity and water contamination