Ecosystem context in the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Dredging p g g

Operations in the Argentina’s Santa Fe–Confluencia Waterway (Paraná River)Confluencia Waterway (Paraná River)

Authors: Claudio Daniele (Estudio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Bureau)

R úl S E l (Hid í S A )& Raúl S. Escalante (Hidrovía S.A.)

Presented by Eng. Martín Civeira

STUDY AREA: Santa Fe – Confluencia Waterway

• Length: 654 km of the Paraná River (up to g ( pconfluence with Paraguay River).

• Medium annual flow: 17.100 m3/s.

• Width 1 700 t 4 200 • Width: 1.700 m to 4.200 m.

• Part of the Rio de la Plata Basin, 2nd largest basin in South America and 4th largest basin in the world

Paraguay

in the world.

• Huge valuable biodiversity

• One of the largest freshwater reserves in the

Argentina

Brazil

world.

Uruguay

SANTA FE–CONFLUENCIA AND SANTA FE – OCEAN WATERWAY PROJECTS

Santa Fe – Confluencia Waterway• Hid í S A i• Hidrovía S.A. concession• 650 km long• Since 2010• 10 ft navigable draft (+ 2 ft)

S t F O W t

10

Santa Fe – Ocean Waterway• Hidrovía S.A. concession• 1000 km long• Since 1995 34 ft

• 34/25 ft navigable draft (+ 2 ft)

SANTA FE-CONFLUENCIA AND SANTA FE-ATLANTIC OCEAN WATERWAYS IN REGIONAL CONTEXT

• Both Santa Fe-Ocean and Santa Fe-Confluencia belong to the Paraguay –Paraná Waterway Program (Hidrovía Paraguay – Paraná) Paraguay – Paraná)

• Countries involved: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay

HIDROVÍAPARAGUAY-PARANÁPROGRAM

• Included in the Initiative for South American Regional Integration (IIRSA, 2010), which emphasizes the importance 2010), which emphasizes the importance of the Axis of the Paraguay – Paraná Santa Fe

-Confluencia

Santa Fe- Ocean

IIRSA

ECO-REGIONS

The Paraná River crosses three eco-regions:• Humid Chaco Confluencia

• Espinal• Delta and Islands of Paraná.

CorrientesResistencia

Confluencia

ESPINALHUMID CHACO

Floodplain

ESPINAL

SANTA FE–CONFLUENCIA WATERWAY PROJECT

• Objective: boost domestic and international commerce (Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil). ( g y, )

• Restrictions of the Paraná River in 19 shallow water stretches

• 1 km to 15 km long (total length of the waterway 654 km).

• 10 ft (+2) navigable draft

• 600.000 cu.m capital dredging

• 80% of volume in 3 shallow water stretches

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT GENERAL SCOPES

• Systematic identification of the environmental consequences of the execution of the deepening project.

• Evaluation of impacts with quantitative and qualitative indicators.

• Proposals of mitigation measures for negative impacts.

• Environmental Management Plan.

EIA approach includes:

EIA CONTENTS

• Legal frame• Baseline

Using these assets (and the activities of the project design) Using these assets (and the activities of the project design) the study presents the EIA with:• Impact matrix• Mitigation measures

E i l M Pl

Corrientes

• Environmental Management Plan• Atlas Map

GENERAL ATLAS

IMPACT MATRIX

The EIA included the ecosystem context

ECOSYSTEM CONTEXT

y

• Coastal ecosystems and floodplain:biogeographic characterization, vegetationunits and wildlife.

• Aquatic biota: plankton, benthos,ichthyofaunaichthyofauna.

• Water and sediment quality.

• Nature conservation:14 natural protected areas,2 Ramsar Sites,2 Important Areas for Bird Conservation-IBAs2 Important Areas for Bird Conservation IBAs,and fish reserves.

PROTECTED AREAS AND RAMSAR SITES

ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS

The analysis of impacts on the ecosystem context included:

• Aquatic environment in the main channel• Coastal environment

Aspects were studied at each stage of the projectimplementation:

• Capital dredging• Maintenance dredging

Surubí, patí, sábalo

ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS II

Aquatic environment

• Dredging and material discharge were low (or negligible in some cases)• Dredging and material discharge were low (or negligible in some cases)• Temporary duration• Benthos: moderate intensity, although with a local scope• Impacts on conservation of aquatic environments or biological productivity have not been

identified

Coastal environment

• Negative impacts were assessed as being indifferent to the components analyzed

MITIGATION MEASURES

• Local conditions of 31 discharge areaswere studied

Local conditions for one of the discharge area

• Criteria and conditions of banned areasfor discharge were compiled andidentified.

Banned areas for discharge

DREDGING METHODS TO MINIMIZE ADVERSE IMPACTS

The following actions were performed

• Channel design: less possible dredgingChannel design: less possible dredging

• Side casting dredging, and...

Discharge area

• Discharge of dredged material: downstream. Not on theislands

TSHD dredger

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Environmental Management Plan includes several aspects that can promote environmental g p psustainability (ecosystem) of the project.

Programs defined in EMP:

• Management program for each shallow area• Sediment and water quality assessment• Social communication• Contingency and safety plans• Waste management• Environmental education• Regular updating of Environmental Management PlanRegular updating of Environmental Management Plan

CONCLUSIONS

• Consideration of the ecosystem context in the Argentina’s Santa Fe–Confluenciawaterway (Parana river) was an item of importance in the design of this dredging project and its environmental assessment.

• The complexity and value of the ecosystem were considered in the different components of EIA and project stages.

• Suitable dredging methods were selected to protect the ecosystem.

Paraná river

654 km

THANKS FORYOUR ATTENTION !

Authors: Claudio Daniele (Estudio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Bureau)

& Raúl S. Escalante (Hidrovía SA)

Presented by Eng Martín CiveiraPresented by Eng. Martín Civeira