josé yunis, country representative in colombia for tnc

© HaroldoPalo, Jr

Magdalena River: preventing with development by design the loss of biodiversity, fisheries and water servicesCBD Nagoya, Japan, October 20, 2010

José Yunis, Country Representative in Colombia for TNCThomas Walschburger, Lead Scientist NASCA region, TNCPatricia Tellez, Lead Hydrologist NASCA region,TNC

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 Territory32.5 million people living in the area77% total population and 80% country´s GDP7.100 m3/s in 273.459 Km2

5th most important watershed in South America (flows)

50% endemic fish speciesCollapse in fisheries, from 80.000 tons fish catch a year to 8.000 ton/year in the last 15 yearsOut 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

Hábitat Físico

Oferta Energía/Carbón

ComposiciónBiótica

Conectividad

Calidad De Agua

Régimen Hidrológico

Integridad

Dams, Intensive Agriculture

Agriculture, Urban sewage, waste,Mining

Dams,Dikes,Infrastructure

Overfishing, Invasive/exotic species

Habitat loss: (mining,consolidaciónde bancos) sedimentation,Deforestation

Deforestation, Habitat losses near lake and rivers

Environmental flows needed by ecosystems and species

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Feeding HabitatsFlooded forest

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Hydrological Regime

© HaroldoPalo, Jr

Alteración Hidrológica

Green River Below Flaming Gorge (1952)

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Green River Below Flaming Gorge (1973)

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High productivitySuperficial, low speed of water•Floodplain vegetationHigh Productivity

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High productivity reduced area River Lagoon

Loss of connectivity

Environmental Flows

Where to protect, Freshwater Portfolio

Classification of watersheds according to sizes

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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

50 PRIORITY 50 PRIORITY BIODIVERSITY SITES BIODIVERSITY SITES WERE IDENTIFIED IN WERE IDENTIFIED IN MAGDALENA´SMAGDALENA´SWATERSHED TO BE WATERSHED TO BE PROTECTED PROTECTED

FRESHWATER CONSERVATION PORTFOLIOFRESHWATER CONSERVATION PORTFOLIO

Límits for sustainability at a watershed scale with a new dam

Fishing groundsFloodplains

Habitats for eggs

Migrations

Existing dam

Proposed dam

Priority conservation river segment

Conservation Plan

Hydropower Plan

Spawninghabitat

Headwaterhabitat

Floodplain fishery

Lack of integrated planning.. race to the bottom

Existing dam

Proposed dam

Priority conservation river segment

Conservation Plan

Hydropower PlanCompare Scenarios

Priority conservation river segment

Existing dam

Proposed dam

Cross-compare scenarios

Modify downstream dam operations

Cascadesame energy

Locate additional damsin already developed segment and eliminate conflicting dam

Locate areas of conflict

-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 investmentUS$25-30 from regional government fundingUS$2.5-5 from international cooperation

To finance 5 activities:

Protection of the 50 places of freshwater porfolioImplementing fishing plansNegotiate siting and economic models for energy, agriculture, mining and aqueducts Climate Change AdaptationBuilding capacity for water management

© HaroldoPalo, Jr

ThanksJosé Yunis, jyunis@tnc.org