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Environmental Flow Policy Analysis for the Tempisque River in Costa Rica

This research project explores the environmental flow policy analysis for the Tempisque River in Costa Rica, involving stakeholder-driven data collection to inform water management decisions. It covers surface water and groundwater dynamics, the importance of hydrology in ecological systems, and the analysis of environmental flows, stakeholders, and legal frameworks. The study aims to answer critical questions regarding maintaining ecological integrity, necessary policy changes, and enhancing system understanding.

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Environmental Flow Policy Analysis for the Tempisque River in Costa Rica

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  1. Environmental Flow Policy Analysis for the Tempisque River; Costa RicaEmploying Stakeholder Driven Data Collection to Inform Water Management Decisions Wesley Henson, Alex Boswell-Ebersole, Molly Carver, Cristian Pacheco Skills Practicum, Summer 2012

  2. Overview • Introduction • Project Scope • Surface Water • Groundwater • Importance of hydrology in ecological systems • Environmental Flow Analysis • Stakeholder Analysis • Law and Policy Framework Analysis • Traditional Ecological Knowledge

  3. Introduction

  4. Scoping Questions • Are the proposed environmental flows adequate for maintaining the ecological integrity of the Tempisque River? • What changes in the Legal/Policy framework are necessary to implement an environmental flow? • What tools can be developed to enhance our understanding of the system?

  5. Surface Water • Principle flow contributions • precipitation • return flows from irrigation District • groundwater • 72% of rain from June to November • Floods in the wet season • Low/No flow during the dry season • Available data is limited

  6. Groundwater • Often, groundwater is the only source of potable water for population centers • Over the last decade, 93% increase in well construction. • Over 9,886 estimated wells • Aquifers over-exploited • Extensive tourism development • Municipal Use • Agricultural production • Yet… VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE AQUIFERS

  7. Importance of Hydrology in Ecological Systems The hydrologic regime: • Shapes the evolution, distribution, and stability of aquatic biota and ecological processes • Retention of sediments and organic matter • Pollutant transport • Water depth and temperature • Available dissolved oxygen for aquatic life. • Can alter riparian habitats.

  8. Environmental Flow • Environmental flows should consider • minimum amount of flow • variation in flow regimes • low flows • seasonal highs • flood peaks • extraordinary events • Environmental Flows Should be • legally defensible • scientifically defensible • administratively feasible Human Needs Ecological Health

  9. Evaluation of Proposed Environmental Flow

  10. Stakeholder Analysis • Agriculture Industry • Subsistence Users • Local and Federal Governments • AyA • MINAET • MINSA • SENARA • SETENA • ICE • Local communities • Aquaculture • Tourism • Fishing Industry (Gulf of Nicoya)

  11. Current Water Law • MINAETgrants the concessions • Concessions (required for all uses except domestic) • Only two criteria • Duration = 30 years max • Creates a hierarchy of priorities for competing applicants (but – based on values 1940’s values) • Existing users still entitled to use water (even if they cant prove acquisition of use was legal)

  12. Problems with the Current Framework • The Water Law is old • The hierarchy established is out of date • No institutional coordination • They operate pursuant to their own self-interested regulations • SENARA’s Fee for Irrigation water • No incentive for conservation or efficiency • No procedure for establishing environmental flow

  13. Why Advocate for the Passage of New Water Bill? • Facilitates Institutional Coordination (Creates NDWR) • Decisions made in consideration of hydrologic basin scale • Establishes a hierarchy of uses (like the current law) BUT these uses are determined by standards set by each Hydrologic Unit • Maximum concession duration = 20 years • Establishes procedure for setting environmental flow • “flow required to satisfy permanent ecosystem needs”

  14. Traditional Ecological Knowledge “All types of knowledge about the environment derived from the experiences and traditions of a particular group of people". (Esselman, Opperman, 2000)

  15. Citizen Driven Data Collection • People have a vested interest in water management • Data is limiting factor in decision-making • Take advantage of Traditional Ecological Knowledge • Train citizens to collect data about surface water and groundwater • Simple methods • Groundwater levels • River Stage • Flow velocity • Establish a central data base to store collected data so it is available to stakeholders

  16. Take Home Message • Proposed environmental flow methodology is sound • New water legislation should be passed to facilitate better water management • TEK and Citizen Driven science may be able to fill the huge gaps in understanding of the system

  17. QUESTIONS?

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