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Empowering Embera Indians with Groundwater Supply

Learn about a project that aims to train Embera Indians to drill and complete wells with the LS-100 drilling rig, providing them with water self-sufficiency. The project also includes the establishment of a cottage industry for well drilling and hand pump manufacture and repair.

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Empowering Embera Indians with Groundwater Supply

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  1. Groundwater Supply and Empowerment for the Embera Indians, Southern Darién Province, PanamáAWRA Summer Specialty Conference30 August – 1 September 2010 Michael E. Campana AWRA President-Elect Ann Campana Judge Foundation http://www.acjfoundation.org Dept. of Geosciences Oregon State University aquadoc@oregonstate.edu

  2. got water? Job opening:Water Carrier Requirements:must be able to balance 45 pounds on your head while trekking rocky dirt roads for miles. Hours:up to 8 hours a day Wages:$0 Only women and children need apply! (courtesy www.nwpdrilling.com)

  3. What is Hydrophilanthropy?1) “Altruistic concern for the water, sanitation, and related needs of humankind, as manifested by donations of work, money, or resources.” 2) “I can’t defne it, but I know it when I see it.” (apologies to former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart)

  4. Hydrophilanthropy1)September 2010 issueofWater Resources IMPACT2) August 2010 issue of Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education (http://bit.ly/9tFTWr)3) ‘Hydrophilanthropy’ category at:aquadoc.typepad.com/waterwired

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

  6. Project Objective:Water Self-Sufficiency • 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, multiple trips

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

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

  9. Southern Darién – looking west

  10. Hand Pump, Puerto Indio

  11. Local Transportation

  12. The USA Team • Michael Campana (hydrogeologist) - team leader, latrine builder/cleaner • Loring Green (geologist) - lead trainer, mechanic, stockbroker • Bob Jarrett (engineer) - trainer, mechanic, medic • Craig Woodring (engineer)-trainer

  13. Loring Green Instructing on the LS-100

  14. More Instruction

  15. Drilling the Well

  16. Examining Cuttings

  17. Helping Hands

  18. Installing the Gravel Pack

  19. Finished!

  20. Accomplishments • Trained 6-man Embera team • Team drilled three wells: two producers (total c. 60-80 Lpm) and one dry hole (< 5 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 hand pumps, cement, submersible pump, tools

  21. Failures • Poor USA-Darién 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

  22. Recent Events • In 2007 learned that the Embera team is still active and drilling. Rig is in very good shape! • Larger pump requested – main village’s population has doubled. • Iron bacteria present in well – chlorine treatment performed. • Follow-up visit?

  23. ¡Muchas Gracias! http://aquadoc.typepad.com/waterwired

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