SFG1736 Public Disclosure Authorized Irrigation Department Government of Balochistan Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Public Disclosure Authorized Reviewed Draft for Disclosure January 2016 Table of Contents List of Acronyms ................................................................................................................... iii 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Proposed Project ................................................................................................ 3 1.3 The Environmental Assessment ................................................................................ 4 1.4 Study Area ................................................................................................................ 5 1.5 Composition of Study Team ...................................................................................... 5 2 Project Description .......................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Background ............................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Project Objective ....................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Project Description by Components .......................................................................... 8 2.3.1 Component A: Institutions, Capacity and Information 9 2.3.2 Component B: IWRM Sub-projects 9 2.3.3 Component C: Project Management & Technical Assistance 26 2.4 Project Timing and Financing .................................................................................. 26 3 Policy, Legal and Administrative Context .................................................................... 27 3.1 Applicable National Environmental Policies and legislation ..................................... 27 3.1.1 National Conservation Strategy 27 3.1.2 National Environmental Policy 27 3.1.3 Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 27 3.1.4 Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Review of IEE and EIA) Regulations 28 3.1.5 National Environmental Quality Standards 28 3.1.6 Guidelines for sensitive and critical areas, 1997 28 3.2 Other applicable national policies and legislations ................................................... 28 3.2.1 The Land Acquisition Act, 1894 28 3.2.2 Forest Act, 1927 29 3.2.3 Antiquity Act, 1975 29 3.2.4 Mines, Oilfields And Mineral Development Act, 1948 29 3.3 Applicable provincial environmental policies and legislations .................................. 29 3.3.1 Balochistan Environmental Protection Act, 2012 29 3.3.2 EIA Approval Procedure 30 3.3.3 Balochistan Wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management Act, 2014 30 3.3.4 Canal and Drainage Ordinance, 1980 (amended in 2000 and 2006) 30 3.3.5 Irrigation Manual Order, 2006 31 3.3.6 Balochistan Irrigation and Drainage Authority Act, 1997 31 3.3.7 Balochistan Water and Sanitation Authority Act, 1989 31 3.3.8 Community Irrigation Farmers’ Organization Regulation, 2000 31 3.3.9 Water Users’ Association Ordinance, 1981 32 3.3.10 Balochistan Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1991 32 3.3.11 Groundwater Rights Administration Ordinance, 1978 32 3.3.12 Balochistan Culture Heritage Preservation Act, 2010 32 3.4 Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Policy ................... 32 3.4.1 The IWRM Approach 32 3.5 Environmental Regulatory Authorities...................................................................... 33 Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project ii 3.5.1 Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency 33 3.5.2 Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency 34 3.6 Obligations under International Treaties .................................................................. 34 3.7 Applicable World Bank Operational Policies ............................................................ 34 3.7.1 Environmental Assessment (OP 4.01) 35 3.7.2 Natural Habitat (OP 4.04) 35 3.7.3 Pest Management (OP 4.09) 36 3.7.4 Cultural Property (OP 4.11) 36 3.7.5 Involuntary Resettlement (OP 4.12) 36 3.7.6 World Bank Group Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines 37 3.8 Gap Analysis between applicable National and World Bank safeguards policies ..... 37 4 Analysis of Alternatives ................................................................................................ 39 4.1 No Project alternative .............................................................................................. 39 4.2 Alternative of the Project ......................................................................................... 40 4.2.1 Traditional Irrigation Project 40 4.2.2 Capacity Building Project 40 4.2.3 Integrated Water Resources Management and Development (IWRMD) 41 4.3 Different Alternatives Achieving the same Objective as the Project ......................... 41 4.3.1 Diversion Weir vs. Storage Dams 41 4.3.2 Groundwater Recharge, Project vs. No-Project 42 4.3.3 Water Development and Conveyance Practices 44 4.3.4 Water for Agriculture 51 4.4 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 52 5 Description of Environment .......................................................................................... 53 5.1 Physical Environment .............................................................................................. 53 5.1.1 Geophysical Layout 53 5.1.2 Geology and Landform 55 5.2 Climate .................................................................................................................... 58 5.2.1 Precipitation 59 5.2.2 Temperature 60 5.3 Hydrology and Water resources .............................................................................. 61 5.3.1 Surface Water 61 5.3.2 Groundwater resources 64 5.4 Climate change impacts on flooding ........................................................................ 68 5.5 Seismology ............................................................................................................. 68 5.5.1 NRB seismology 68 5.5.2 PRB Seismology 69 5.6 Terrestrial biodiversity ............................................................................................. 70 5.6.1 Forests and flora 70 5.6.2 Terrestrial Fauna 71 5.6.3 Aquatic Fauna 72 5.7 Species of Special Concern .................................................................................... 73 5.8 Scheme-Level Baselines for Nari and Porali Basins ................................................ 75 5.8.1 NRB scheme-level baselines 75 5.8.2 PRB scheme-level baseline 81 5.9 Borrow Areas .......................................................................................................... 86 5.10 Protected Areas ...................................................................................................... 89 5.10.1 NRB protected areas 89 Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project iii 5.10.2 PRB protected areas 90 5.11 Water Balance Assessments ................................................................................... 93 5.12 Socioeconomic Baseline ......................................................................................... 97 5.12.1 Demographics and Population Distribution 97 5.12.2 Ethnic and Language Groups 98 5.12.3 Development Status, Potential and Poverty Situation 100 5.13 Land Use statistics ................................................................................................ 101 5.13.1 NRB Land Use Statistics 101 5.13.2 PRB Land Use Statistics 101 5.13.3 Land Tenure and Holdings 102 5.14 Economic Activities and Livelihood Patterns ......................................................... 104 5.14.1 NRB Economic Activities and Livelihood patterns 104 5.14.2 PRB Economic Activities and Livelihood patterns 104 5.15 Traditional Water Rights and Management ........................................................... 105 5.16 Archaeological and Cultural Sites .......................................................................... 106 6 Potential Impacts and Mitigation Measures ............................................................... 107 6.1 General ................................................................................................................. 107 6.2 Impact Assessment Methodology .......................................................................... 107 6.3 Summary of Assessed Impacts ............................................................................. 109 6.4 Environmental and Social Impacts of the Project ................................................... 125 6.5 Environmental and Social Impacts during Pre-construction Stage ......................... 125 6.5.1 Land Acquisition 125 6.5.2 Impacts on Ecology, Soil and Land 125 6.5.3 Impacts on Surface Water 125 6.5.4 Impacts on Ground Water 126 6.6 Social Impacts during Construction Stage ............................................................. 126 6.6.1 Generation of employment in the project area 126 6.6.2 Increased economic activity in the project area 126 6.6.3 Temporary Land acquisition by the contractor 127 6.6.4 Safety hazards for children