South America Amazon Basin

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South America -Amazon Basin
Leonardo A. Ramirez November 8th, 2005
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Agenda

• Basin Description
• Transboundary issues global perspective
• Case study Samuel Dam
• Questions for discussion

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Amazon Basin
Ica Putumayo Japura Jurua Madeira Mananon Purus Ri
o Negro Tapajos Ucayali Xingu
-Largest hydrographic basin in the world
-2,722,000 square miles -About one 1/3 of the
Continent -1/5 of the fresh water in the world
flows through the Amazon system Amazon river
average annual discharge of 175.000m3/second
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Transboundary Issues global perspective

• Bolivia
• Brasil
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• French Guyana
• Guyana
• Peru
• Suriname
• Venezuela

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Transboundary Issues- Future Development

• Economic growth
• Road Construction
• Water Supplies
• Enery Supplies
• Sanitation

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Transboundary Issues- Future Development

• Climate Change
• Deforestation
• Social impacts
• Displaced population
• Indigenous people

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Amazon Basin FutureBrazil Perspectives

• Legal Amazon Development
• (Colonization)
• Gold mining
• (Water Contamination)
• Agricultural Boom -Soybean

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What to do about Amazonia?Brazil Perspectives

• Comprehensive, ecosystem-based approach to
  managing waters and their drainage basins.
• Integrate the lessons learned from earlier
  experiences to achieve better results.
• Work with neighbors countries (eg. Bolivia, Peru)
  to develop joint water development projects.

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Case Study Samuel Dam
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Case Study Samuel Dam
Madeira River Sub-basin
Location Jamari River Nearest City Porto Velho,
Rondonia. Type of Vegetation Tropical
forest River annual flow 366 m3/s Year filled
1988
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Case Study Samuel Dam
Planeation and Construction
Madeira River Sub-basin
Development
Rol of politics
Environmental impact assessment?
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Case Study Samuel Dam
High level of waters May 95
Low level of waters Nov 98
Images source www.balaio.com.br/.../
samuel/pq_samuel.htm
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Lessons for the future
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Questions for discussion
Development in the Amazonia Basin region is just
beginning and it has been compared to the
19th-century wild west of the United States.
The rich hydrology of the region presents an
opportunity for several water and hydropower
related projects. Do you think a global policy
or recommendation should be adopted in order to
limit the number of projects (Dams, waterways)
for this region? How can future projects avoid
the mistakes made in older water projects?
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South America -Amazon Basin
Thank you.