JP water_ins09.qxd 1/26/06 5:38 PM Page 1 37659 GEF Global Action on Water MANAGING GROUNDWATER RESOURCES: THE GUARANI AQUIFER The Guarani is the largest aquifer in South participation; (d) promote monitoring, evalua- America. It extends more than 1.2 million square tion, and dissemination; (e) develop management kilometers in Brazil alone--equal to the areas of and mitigation measures in hot spots; (f) assess England, France, and Spain combined. The geothermal potentials; and (g) coordinate and system is shared by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, manage the project. and Uruguay, and it already supplies some 15 mil- lion people in the region. Best estimates show The project design emphasizes the importance of that the Guarani contains enough water to intervention at different levels. At the multicoun- supply 360 million people if this unique resource try level, a steering group comprising representa- is protected and managed sustainably. tives of the respective national agencies with responsibility for water resources, foreign affairs, Because water consumption in South America is and the environment has been established. rising rapidly for domestic, industrial, and agricul- tural uses, the continent is turning increasingly to The project has also set up a coordination group groundwater, which is especially valuable comprising one technical coordinator from each because it does not normally require chemical country to lead country-based project execution treatment. The four national governments, units and to provide oversight and direction to together with the Global Environment Facility the project coordinator. In addition, the project (GEF), the World Bank, and the Organization of established a transboundary commission that will American States, have undertaken a project to coordinate the management of the Guarani help to ensure that, in the face of increasing Aquifer at the local level. scarcity and pollution of surface waters, the aquifer is preserved and kept available as an RESULTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS important reserve for the future. In its first two years, the project has helped build awareness and set up institutional arrangements The project, funded by a $13.9 million GEF grant for the future joint management of the resource. and $13.3 million in cofinancing, is supporting the creation of a common institutional and technical The project preparation process effectively framework for managing the Guarani. This entails improved knowledge about the aquifer and suc- consolidation of scientific knowledge, implemen- cessfully raised awareness among stakeholders. tation of a management plan, and enhancing As a result, the Guarani Aquifer is now recognized stakeholder participation through communication as a groundwater resource shared by the four and environmental education. countries, in contrast to an independent and sep- arate aquifer in each country. To deepen partici- Specifically, the project aims to (a) expand the pation by all stakeholders and users of the knowledge base; (b) develop a joint management resource, the project is in the process of awarding framework; (c) encourage public and stakeholder 24 awareness-building subprojects in communica- JP water_ins09.qxd 1/26/06 5:38 PM Page 2 tion and education that will be executed by non- Second, groundwater resources are intrinsically governmental organizations and civic organiza- linked with surface water and other economic tions. The project also awarded nine research activities. The future sustainable management of grants to universities in the four countries to con- the Guarani Aquifer will depend on the commit- duct scientific studies about the Guarani Aquifer. ment of the countries to integrate surface and groundwater into the overall management of THE FUTURE OF THE PROJECT the resource. The project has garnered broad support at all levels. Future success of the project depends on Third, the project has to intensify its awareness- three critical issues. The first is the continuity of building and communication activities to ensure the institutional arrangement established to that the population at large remains informed develop a common management framework. In about the project activities and the need to the final analysis, the success of this project manage the resource in a sustainable manner depends on the commitment of the beneficiary without compromising the needs of present and countries to jointly manage the resource. future generations. FOR MORE INFORMATION Global Environment Facility 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 USA Tel: 202-473-0508 Fax: 202-522-3240 www.theGEF.org January 2006