INBO'S NEWSLETTER N° 4

INBO'S NEWSLETTER N° 4 - 1996

Table of contents	INBO'S NEWSLETTER - N° 4 - 1996
LATIN AMERICA CAPRE

Presently, CAPRE is working on the preparation and follow up of training programmes for member countries in the potable water supply and sanitation sector.

For more than a year, CAPRE has been implementing a training programme with the assistance of the Institute of Potable Water Pipes and Sewage Mains of Costa Rica. This programme is financed by IDB and French Cooperation, within a Cooperation Agreement with NANCIE. A training course on wastewater was held in France from September 2 to November 15, 1996 for 16 participants of the region.

It consisted in training trainers on design and maintenance of sewage networks and wastewater pumping systems, wastewater treatment plants, monitoring of receiving media and on systems for industrial effluent treatment.

CAPRE also organized two important meetings at regional level:

the VIth Meeting of the Regional, Technical Training Committee that was held in San JosŽ de Costa Rica from June 24 to 27, 1996.
the VIth Meeting of the Regional Technical Committee for Water Quality, organized in Tegucigalpa
Honduras, from August 18 to 21. This enabled both Committees to adjust their programmes to meet regional priorities.

Iliana Arce Uma–a (CAPRE)
Fax : (506) 222 3941

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Table of contents	INBO'S NEWSLETTER - N° 4 - 1996
LATIN AMERICA EL SALVADOR

The Rio Acelhuate Basin

The basin of Acelhuate river, a tributary of the Lempa, the longest river of the country, approximately covers 733 km2, i.e. 3.5 % of the national territory. It is mainly composed of dry plains surrounded by volcanoes.

It crosses the metropolitan area of San Salvador (MASS), whose present population reaches 1.5 million inhabitants. The basin lands are mostly used for agricultural production, mainly coffee, sugar cane and cereals. The pressure exerted by the population on land and urbanization have caused the erosion of soils and torrent beds and water pollution.

At present, the Acelhuate is an open sewer as many informal urban settlements have developed on its banks.
Sustainable management of Acelhuate river basin :R> a "shared management"

Three governmental institutions share Acelhuate basin management: the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) in charge of urban sewerage, the Ministry of Agriculture and Stockbreeding (MAG) responsible for erosion control and the National Administration of Potable Water Supply and Sanitation (ANDA) in charge of wastewater discharges.

There is no institution responsible for land use regulation.

Up to now, municipalities and communities have not intervened in the present management scheme, nor the Lempa Executive Commission (LEC) responsible for energy production.

A pilot programme has been proposed.

But, owing to the institutional context of the country, a reduced action has been retained to progressively lead to permanent larger actions.

The works should be carried out with the active collaboration of communities which would establish a project coordination council, directed by San Salvador municipality.

Mario Lungo & José F. Oporto
National Foundation for Development
Fax : (503) 229 5427

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Table of contents	INBO'S NEWSLETTER - N° 4 - 1996
LATIN AMERICA REDNAMAC

4th National Meeting

The National River Basin Management Network (REDNAMAC), created by the Ministerial Resolution of May 31, 1993, is a coordinating body in charge of promoting and disseminating actions related to river basin management. REDNAMAC has already organized national meetings in the cities of Lima, Huaraz and Cajamarca.

The largest irrigation systems of the country: Poechoa, San Lorenzo, Tinajones; conservation units such as the national reserve of Manglares de Tumbas, the national park of Cerros de Amotapa as well as dry woods, soil erosion problems and land desertification in the upstream part of basins, Ayabaca and Huancabamba for instance, are regional aspects that could benefit from an analysis within the framework of river basin management at national level.

REDNAMAC organized its fourth meeting from October 22 to 26 in Piura with the support of the Regional Institute of Water Resources Management (IRAGER). It dealt with the precise definition of the role of the national network and of regional sub-networks, and exchanged experiences on the various aspects of basin management in Peru in order to encourage the setting up of as many regional networks as possible.

Ignacio Renavent
IRAGER
Fax : (51-74) 32 8645

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Table of contents	INBO'S NEWSLETTER - N° 4 - 1996
LATIN AMERICA CUBA

Cauto River Basin

The Cauto is the largest Cuban river. With a length of 343 km, its drainage basin covers 8,969 sq. km. and comprises the territories of several provinces, Santiago de Cuba, where it springs, Holguin, Las Tunas and Granma, its mouth being located in the latter.

Water regulation has been reached with hydraulic infrastructures built to meet water demands for irrigation, industry and human consumption.

Salinity increase is one of the main problems encountered in the Cauto as regards its water quality.

Hydraulic infrastructures and monitoring networks are being independently operated by each province involved. Water balance -quantity and quality - is measured at national level.

The country's economic development and its human impact on natural resources have led to the creation of a "Focal Point" in charge of:

quantity and quality control, management supervision and water resources planning,
controlling water allocation to users,
coordinating the actions of the basin provinces to improve the operation of monitoring and observation networks,
operating hydrologic forecasting systems, and improving the geological and hydrogeological knowledge with an integrated and muldisciplinary approach.

Daniela Mercedes Arellano Acosta
National Centre of Hydrology and Water Quality
Fax : (537) 33 06 80

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