Groundwater Development on the Embera Indian Comarca, Southern

Darién Province, Panamá IAH 2012 Congress

16-21 September 2012Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Michael E. CampanaOregon State University

The Ann Campana Judge Foundationwww.acjfoundation.org

aquadoc@oregonstate.edu

Talk Organization• Project background and objectives• Location• The USA team• Instruction, project photos• Accomplishments• Failures• Recent events

Project Background•Conducted under the auspices of Lifewater International•Invited by Embera Indians of Panamá’s S. Darién Province•Survey trip in March 1999 and “shopping trip” in January 2000•2-week training trip in May 2000•Cost: about $30,000

Project Objectives:1) Teach Water Self-Sufficiency

2) Promote Social Entrepreneurship• Train Embera Indians to drill and complete wells with the LS-100 drilling rig (www.lonestarbit.com)• Establish ‘cottage industry’ – well drilling, hand pump manufacture and repair• Provide on-site instruction

Project Location•About 200 air kilometers from Panamá City•Remote area – Rio Sambú valley, dense rain forest•No road access – plane, freighter, or pack animal•Somewhat dangerous – abuts Colombia (FARC guerrillas)

Southern Darién – looking west

Hand Pump, Puerto Indio

The USA Team

• Michael Campana (hydrogeologist) - team leader, fundraiser• Loring Green (geologist) - lead trainer, mechanic, stockbroker• Bob Jarrett (engineer) - trainer, mechanic, medic• Craig Woodring (engineer) - trainer

Loring Green Instructing on the LS-100

More Instruction

Drilling the Well

Examining Cuttings

Installing the Gravel Pack

Finished!

Accomplishments

• Trained 6-man Embera team• Team drilled three wells: two producers (c. 100 Lpm) and one dry hole (< 4 Lpm)• Team installed one submersible and one hand pump• Provided one LS-100, mud pump, 150 m of

10 cm ID PVC, drilling mud, 3 Bush hand pumps, cement, submersible pump, tools

Failures

• Poor USA-Panamá communications with locals; made coordination and planning difficult• No follow-up – future trips were canceled because of dangerous conditions (Plan Colombia)• Lost touch with team after training

Recent Events• In late 2007 learned that the

Embera team is still active and apparently still drilling (as of 2010)

• Need more water – population has doubled

• Possible follow-up trip (2012?) to check on team activities and needs.

¡Muchas Gracias!

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