PROJECT FOR THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE MESOAMERICAN BARRIER REEF SYSTEM (MBRS) Belize – Guatemala – Honduras - México Rapid Assessment of Anthropogenic Impacts on Select Transboundary Watersheds of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systems (MBRS) Region A Collaborative Effort between the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systems (MBRS) Project, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Tufts University May 2007 Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System Project Project Coordination Unit Coastal Zone Multi-Complex Building Princess Margaret Drive Belize City, Belize. Rapid Assessment of Anthropogenic Impacts on Select Transboundary Watersheds of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) Region A Collaborative Effort between the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systems (MBRS) Project, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Tufts University May 2007 Editors: Melissa Bailey, Jan Meerman, Marydelene Vasquez and Abigail Parish Hydrology/Land Use section authors: Melissa Bailey (Tufts University) Paul H. Kirshen, Ph. D. (Tufts University) Edward Spang (Tufts University) Socioeconomic section authors: Steve Morrison (NOAA) Carolina Pizarro (NOAA Intern) Georgia Kayser (Tufts University) Legal and Institutional section authors: Gonzalo Cid, Ph. D. (NOAA) Abigail Parish (Tufts University) Maps prepared by: Marydelene Vasquez (MBRS Project) Emil Cherrington (formerly of Coastal Zone Management Institute) Technical Document No. 29 Rapid Assessment of Transboundary Watersheds TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms and Abbreviations vi Acknowledgements viii Executive Summary xiii A. INTRODUCTION xiv B. WATERSHED PROFILES 1. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Quintana Roo Subterranean Drainage Systems: a. Introduction 1 b. Hydrology and Land Use 1 c. Socioeconomic Findings 5 i.) Demographics 5 ii.) Economic Welfare 5 iii.) Sanitation and Health 6 iv.) Community Perceptions 7 2. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Rio Hondo Watershed: a. Introduction 8 b. Hydrology and Land Use 8 c. Socioeconomic Findings 12 i.) Demographics 12 ii.) Economic Welfare 12 iii.) Sanitation and Health 13 iv.) Community Perceptions 15 3. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Belize River Watershed: a. Introduction 16 b. Hydrology and Land Use 16 c. Socioeconomic Findings 19 i.) Demographics 19 ii.) Economic Welfare 19 iii.) Sanitation and Health 20 iv.) Community Perceptions 20 4. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Temash River Watershed: a. Introduction 22 b. Hydrology and Land Use 22 c. Socioeconomic Findings 24 i.) Demographics 24 ii.) Economic Welfare 25 iii.) Sanitation and Health 25 iv.) Community Perceptions 26 ___________________________________________________________________________ ii Technical Document No. 29 Rapid Assessment of Transboundary Watersheds 5. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Sarstún River Watershed: a. Introduction 28 b. Hydrology and Land Use 28 c. Socioeconomic Findings 30 i.) Demographics 30 ii.) Economic Welfare 31 iii.) Sanitation and Health 32 iv.) Community Perceptions 33 6. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Rio Dulce Watershed: a. Introduction 34 b. Hydrology and Land Use 34 c. Socioeconomic Findings 36 i.) Demographics 36 ii.) Economic Welfare 37 iii.) Sanitation and Health 37 iv.) Community Perceptions 39 7. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Rio Motagua Watershed: a. Introduction 40 b. Hydrology and Land Use 40 c. Socioeconomic Findings 44 i.) Demographics 44 ii.) Economic Welfare 45 iii.) Sanitation and Health 45 iv.) Community Perceptions 46 8. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Rio Chamelecón Watershed: a. Introduction 48 b. Hydrology and Land Use 48 c. Socioeconomic Findings 51 i.) Demographics 51 ii.) Economic Welfare 52 iii.) Sanitation and Health 52 iv.) Community Perceptions 53 9. Hydrological, Land Use, and Socioeconomic Findings for the Rio Ulúa Watershed: a. Introduction 54 b. Hydrology and Land Use 54 c. Socioeconomic Findings 56 i.) Demographics 56 ii.) Economic Welfare 57 iii.) Sanitation and Health 57 iv.) Community Perceptions 59 ___________________________________________________________________________ iii Technical Document No. 29 Rapid Assessment of Transboundary Watersheds C. LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSBOUNDARY WATERSHEDS IN THE MESOAMERICAN BARRIER REEF SYSTEMS AREA a. Summary 60 b. Introduction 60 c. Methodology and Justification 61 1. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS FROM INTERVIEWS AND SECONDARY SOURCES ON THE NATIONAL LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES 1. Mexico: 63 a. Institutions 63 b. Laws 63 c. Interviews 64 d. Jurisdiction and Population Densities 64 e. Principal Problems Associated with Environmental Legislation 64 2. Belize: 65 a. Institutions 65 b. Laws 65 c. Interviews 66 d. Jurisdiction and Population Densities 66 e. Principal Problems Associated with Environmental Legislation 67 3. Guatemala: 67 a. Institutions 67 b. Laws 68 c. Interviews 68 d. Jurisdiction and Population Densities 68 e. Principal Problems Associated with Environmental Legislation 69 4. Honduras: 69 a. Institutions 69 b. Laws 70 c. Interviews 70 d. Jurisdiction and Population Densities 71 e. Principal Problems Associated with Environmental Legislation 71 2. SUMMARY OF INTERVIEWS 72 3. INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE 74 4. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTERVENTION 75 D. BIBLIOGRAPHY 82 ___________________________________________________________________________ iv Technical Document No. 29 Rapid Assessment of Transboundary Watersheds ANNEXES Annex 1. List of Institutions Interviewed by Country A1 Annex 2. Belize: List of Relevant Environmental Legislation A2 Annex 3. Guatemala: List of Relevant Environmental Legislation A6 Annex 4. Honduras: List of Relevant Environmental Legislation A13 Annex 5. Mexico: List of Relevant Environmental Legislation A18 Annex 6. Status of International Legal Framework in the MBRS Countries A26 Annex 7. List of Relevant Non-binding Instruments A27 Annex 8. Legal and Institutional Recommendation from Consultation Meetings (Chetumal and Puerto Barrios, November 2005) A29 Annex 9. Questionnaire Used by Interviewers as Reference for the In-person Interviews to Government Agencies Representatives in the MBRS Region A35 MAPS Map 1: Land Cover and Land Use in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systems Region A38 Map 2: Population Density in Watershed Studied A39 Map 3: Protected Areas and Watersheds Studied A40 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Quintana Roo State: Monthly Precipitation 2 Figure 2 Quintana Roo State: Ratios of Water Use vs. Availability 3 Figure 3 Quintana Roo State: Land Cover Distribution 4 Figure 4 Río Hondo: 2004 Data on DO and % Saturation 9 Figure 5 Rio Hondo: 2004 Data on Phosphate Concentration 10 Figure 6 Rio Hondo Watershed: Land Cover Distribution 11 Figure 7 Belize River: Belize City: Monthly Precipitation 17 Figure 8 Belize River Watershed: Land Cover Distribution 17 Figure 9 Temash River: Punta Gorda Monthly precipitation 23 Figure 10 Temash River Watershed: Land Cover Distribution 24 Figure 11 Sarstún River: Punta Gorda Monthly Precipitation 29 Figure 12 Sarstún River Watershed: Land Cover Distribution 30 Figure 13 Rio Dulce: Livingston-Izabal: Average Monthly Precipitation 35 Figure 14 Rio Dulce: Land Cover Distribution 35 Figure 15 Motagua: Ratios of Water Use vs. Availability 41 Figure 16 Rio Motagua: 2003 Lead Concentration Data 42 Figure 17 Rio Motagua: 2003 Phosphorous Concentration Data 42 Figure 18 Rio Motagua: 2003 TDS Graph 42 Figure 19 Rio Motagua: 2003 Turbidity Graph 42 Figure 20 Rio Motagua: Land Cover Distribution 43 Figure 21 Rio Chamelecón: 2003 Monthly Precipitation 48 Figure 22 Rio Chamelecón: Monthly Stream Flow Averaged 1972-1992 49 Figure 23 Rio Chamelecón: Ratios of Water Use vs. Availability 49 Figure 24 Rio Chamelecón: Land Cover Distribution 50 Figure 25 Rio Ulua: Ratios of Water Use vs. Availability 55 Figure 26 Rio Ulua: Land Cover Distribution 55 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Summary Table: Issues and Perspectives on Legal and Institutional Aspects from National Agencies Representatives 72 Table 2: Recommendations for Intervention 76 ___________________________________________________________________________ v Technical Document No. 29 Rapid Assessment of Transboundary Watersheds ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Institutions Acronym Country Institution ABRE Honduras Áreas Bajo Régimen Especial AMARSURLI Guatemala Autoridad para el Manejo Sustentable de la Cuenca y del Lago de Izabal y Río Dulce BERDS Belize Biodiversity and Environmental Resource Data System BWS Belize Belize Water Services CALAS Guatemala Centro de Acción Legal – Ambiental y Social de Guatemala CCAD Regional Comisión Centroamericana de Ambiente y Desarrollo CESCCO Honduras Centro de Estudios y Control de Contaminantes CEVS Honduras Comisión del Valle de Sula CICY Mexico Centro de Investigaciones Científicas de Yucatán CILA Mexico Comisión Internacional de Límites y Aguas CNA Mexico Comisión Nacional de Agua COHDEFOR Honduras Corporación Hondureña de Desarrollo Forestal CONAGUA Mexico Comisión Nacional del Agua (Previously CNA) CONANP Mexico Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas CONAP Guatemala Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas DECA Honduras Dirección de Evaluación y Control Ambiental DIMA Honduras División Municipal de Aguas (San Pedro Sula) CSO Belize Central Statistics Office DOE Belize Department of the Environment FUNDAECO Guatemala Fundación para el Ecodesarrollo