[Proyects] Integrated Management Plan for Water Resources for the Rapel Basin (Stage I)
| Finances: Innovation Fund for Competitiveness of the Regional Government of O’Higgins |
| Start date: March 2016 |
| Extension: 18 months |
Project Information
This projects seeks to identify approaches and tools that allow the sustainable and integrated management of water resources in the Rapel basin. The projects includes a participatory process that will pick up the needs and challenges identified by local user and actors.
Actors
CSIRO Chile (Implementation)
Dirección General de Aguas
(Technical Counterpart)
Regional Government of O’Higgins (Finances)
Project Objectives
The main objective of the project is to develop an integrated management plan for the Rapel basin, based on the Australian experience and knowledge in water resources management issues, that is valid and represents social legitimacy. In order to have a valid and legitimate plan, and that is therefore sustainable and effective, it must be build on a continuous participation process with the presence of key actors of the basin. The participants represent a broad variety of activities, sectors, and economic, social and environmental interests of the basin, which includes actors from both public and private sectors, and both consumers and non-consumers of the water. All of this supported by the best available scientific knowledge.
Specific objectives:
- To implement a continuous participatory process along with the key actors of the basin, to guide the project activities, in order to have validity and social legitimacy.
- To define a shared preliminary vision of the future of the basin for the medium and long term (2030 – 2050).
- To evaluate the existing information systems of the water resources and the rest of the socio-ecological system present in the basin (industries, towns, ecosytems, etc).
- To design in a participative way the necessary activities to develop the computer management tools required for the integrated management of the Rapel basin during Stage 2 of the project.
- To raise resources for the development of Stage 2 of the project.
Project Video
Learn more of our project through this video!
Integrated Water Management in the Rapel basin CSIRO Chile project de CSIRO.
Results
Advisory Group Creation
To grant validity and social legitimacy to the project, a work table was created, known as Advisory Group which is private and public, with the participation of 12 members that represent users and relevant actores in the basin. The objective of this group is to back up the development of this project, to promote the discussion of problems, challenges and opportunities in water resource matters, and to facilitate communication and access to the information available from the represented groups. Also, a amplified map of relevant actors and institutions was defined, and they were invited to the four workshops carried out throughout the project, representing over 60 institutions with regional presence.
2050 Vision
“In 2050, the Rapel basin will have an integrated management of its water resources. Through an organism in the basin, decisiones will be taken in a coordinated way, considering environmental, social and economic needs, and involving all the relevant sectors in an atmosphere of associativity and trust. Water quality will comply with all the norms throughout the entire basin, with the objective of guaranteeing consumership of all users, and diverse water sources and infrastructure will be used, always in function of current and future availability of water. The evaluation and planning of the water resources will be transparent, using science and technology to approach natural risks and to adapt to climate change.
Identified tools
The use of designed tools to approach the needs and challenges identified in the Rapel basin will significantly help improve water management. Currently, there is a broad and diverse range of tools and technologies used for water management at an international level, which posses varied reaches and design, application and implementation restrictions. During the project, seven tools were identified in a participative way, that respond to the current situation and challenges present in the basin, and that allow to move towards the shared vision aforementioned:
- (Supplementary) measurement of water flow
- Water flow prediction model (and extreme events)
- Information platform with a graphic visualization and interface for users
- Integrated modelling tool (superficial, subterranean and water quality)
- System / support model for scaling
- Participatory modelling
- Decision making support system (SATD)
Each tool has an index file that details its objective, reach, description, utility and others. The previous chart shows how these tools interact among each other in one single platform and how they are aligned with the challenges and identified priorities through the participatory process.
Library
The project collected an vast library in order to better understand the current state of the available information regarding the basin. This allowed the development of a free-access library that is available in this website, which includes over 300 titles of national and international studies, technical reports and others regarding physical, socio-economic, environmental and management aspects of the basin.
Proyecto financiado a través del Fondo de Innovación para la Competitividad del Gobierno Regional de O’Higgins y su Consejo Regional, enmarcado en la Estrategia Regional de Innovación.
Project Video
Learn more of our project through this video!
Integrated Water Management in the Rapel basin CSIRO Chile project de CSIRO.
Proyecto financiado a través del Fondo de Innovación para la Competitividad del Gobierno Regional de O’Higgins y su Consejo Regional, enmarcado en la Estrategia Regional de Innovación.