Report Card of the Meta River Basin, Colombia Evaluation of Colombian Tributaries of the Orinoco
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Report Card of the Meta River Basin, Colombia Evaluation of Colombian tributaries of the Orinoco The Orinoco Basin Health Report Card was officially kicked-off in June 2015 with the first stakeholder engagement meeting in Puerto López, Reporting regions in the Orinoquía Region of Meta Department, Colombia. The 804 km length of the Meta River traverses a More than 40 representatives from 19 organizations attended the variety of elevations and ecosystem types from it’s workshop. During the workshop the environmental, social and origins in the Andes to it’s confluence with the economic indicators that will form the basis of the Meta River Report Orinoco River, near Puerto Carreño in the east. Card were identified. Indicators were chosen based on the top values Hence, it is anticipated that the river will be divided identified as key to the future sustainability of the Meta River basin. into three reporting regions, each being assessed We appreciate the continued active participation of the following and scored independently of each other. organizations with environmental authorities that will enable the completion of the report: the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Preliminary discussions were held on how best to Development, the Von Humboldt Institute, Corporinoquia, Omacha define these regions and it was generally accepted Foundation, National Authority for Aquaculture and Fisheries, the to achieve this based on elevation changes. A Palmita Reserve Foundation, Javeriana University, University of the technical group has been established to define and Llanos, Palmarito Foundation, Ocelot Foundation, Calidris Foundation, document these regions. Foundation Orinoco Biodiversa, Federation National Cattlemen, Corpochivor, Nature Reserve The Pedregoza, Orinoquia Foundation, University of Maryland and WWF. The three-day interactive workshop also attracted positive media attention. Outcomes from the meeting included: 1. Identification, and ranking by importance, of environmental, social and economic values within the Meta River basin. 2. Identification, and ranking by importance, of threats to identified values within the Meta River basin. 3. Choice of indicators for measuring/reporting the status of these values and threats. 4. Assignment of key personnel to work on developing each indicator and defining benchmarks for scoring against. 5. A time line through to completion and public release in early 2016. 0 200 400 km N July 2015 Values Indicators Workshop participants had the task of identifying the Following the selection of key values to be protected in the Meta environmental, social, and economic values provided by the Meta River basin, workshop participants identified over 60 potential River and its watershed. An extensive list of values (more than 20) indicators that could be used to assess the status of these values. was collated, evidence of the importance of this watershed for These indicators were refined by assessing their cost effectiveness the region. The list was narrowed down to nine key values to be for collection, future viability, sensitivity to change, relevance to represented in the report card. management actions and data availability, resulting in 15 These values are shown in the following figure viable indicators that are now being investigated and include physical, chemical, and for suitability. biological characteristics of the river, RISM FOO TOU D S Each indicator has been assigned RE ECU as well as tourism, transportation, TU R A ITY to a “technical working group” food, and cultural sectors. N Number of sites where for follow-up review, data These values form the nature tourism occurs sourcing and collation, basis for selecting the E and assignment of H N T IO F indicators that will be G I benchmarks. G E S N H monitored over time R E O E R L I A H E in order to assess T S Presence of dams, water Y D R T Nutrition indicators progress towards I N E V S I A connectivity (levels) O T pre-defined R U C E O R C criteria. N D I E N R Terrestrial connectivity S O R C O R C eta ive M r Fish composition and volume A G T R R I A C E D U C I Change in coverage area L T T O I U O S R Y N E S Number of agricultural A T A L E N M Ecosystem service certifications A D N Timeline delivery units A D D Q I V I U The report N E A R Water Quality (BOD, COD, pH, N C card is due to S O I U T V L A Y Number of threatened species T be released in T U I R temp, total solids) V E March 2016. E Following Flow collection and Population ethnic density group by , Y analysis of data, IT ) Sediments T S C E workshop participants U N S LT A L U U U will be invited to review, R Q P A cultural events ( L S D comment, and sign-off D Number of traditional IC O I M LO VE A F the report card prior to R N D S Y N IT Number of passengers D A public release. Y RO , YD ITY H AL QU RI N VER TRANSPORTATIO 2015 2016 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr Information Calculate the Review and Review and Prepare World Water sources scores comment comment final Day - Launch draft of report All data, thresholds, and Draft scores are All comments Final comments regions identified presented received received (Webinar) New version for Report card sent to the review printer For more information about this project, contact: Cesar Freddy Suárez, Geographical Analysis Coordinator [email protected] José Saulo Usma, Freshwater Specialist [email protected].