Report Dominican Republic Environmental Assessment September 2001 Task Order No. 841 Contract No. PCE-I-00-96-00002-00 Dominican Republic Environmental Assessment Prepared by International Resources Group, Ltd. Prepared for USAID/Santo Domingo September 2001 Environmental Policy and Institutional Strengthening Indefinite Quantity Contract (EPIQ) Partners: International Resources Group, Winrock International, and Harvard Institute for International Development Subcontractors: PADCO; Management Systems International; and Development Alternatives, Inc. Collaborating Institutions: Center for Naval Analysis Corporation; Conservation International; KNB Engineering and Applied Sciences, Inc.; Keller-Bliesner Engineering; Resource Management International, Inc.; Tellus Institute; Urban Institute; and World Resources Institute Contents Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................ iv Acronyms.........................................................................................................................................v Executive Summary...................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................1 1.1 Objectives of Assessment..................................................................................................1 1.2 Methodology......................................................................................................................1 1.3 Socioeconomic Overview..................................................................................................2 1.4 Development Policies and Resource Management ...........................................................2 Chapter 2. Soils, Land Use, and Agricultural Development............................................................4 2.1 Land-Use Capability and Soils..........................................................................................4 2.2 Actual Land Use................................................................................................................4 2.3 Changes in Agricultural Production, 1980–2000 ..............................................................5 2.4 Animal Production.............................................................................................................7 2.5 Soil Erosion .......................................................................................................................7 2.6 Salinization of Irrigated Soils............................................................................................9 2.7 Environmental Impacts of Irrigation Projects in the Dominican Republic .......................9 2.7.1 Water Quality Impacts..........................................................................................10 2.7.2 Alteration of Water Flows....................................................................................10 2.8 Key Issues in Land Use and Soil Management...............................................................10 Chapter 3. Water Resources and Watersheds ................................................................................12 3.1 The National Water Budget—Components of the Water Cycle .....................................12 3.2 Groundwater Resources...................................................................................................12 3.3 Water Use and Efficiency—Domestic, Agricultural, Industrial .....................................13 3.4 Irrigation Water: Environmental Issues...........................................................................14 3.5 Irrigation Efficiency and Administration ........................................................................15 3.6 Effects of Sedimentation on Reservoir Storage...............................................................15 3.7 Water Quality Issues........................................................................................................16 3.8 Key Issues in Water Resources .......................................................................................17 Chapter 4. Forests and Forestry .....................................................................................................18 4.1 Forest Resources of the Dominican Republic .................................................................18 4.2 Forest Management Initiatives ........................................................................................19 4.2.1 Case Study: Zambrana Agroforestry Project........................................................19 4.2.2 Case Study: Plan Sierra La Celestina Project.......................................................20 4.3 Government Reforestation Efforts ..................................................................................20 4.4 Forest Protection Issues...................................................................................................20 4.4.1 Charcoal-Making..................................................................................................20 4.4.2 Forest Fires...........................................................................................................21 i Dominican Republic Environmental Assessment 4.5 Importing Forest Products ...............................................................................................22 4.6 Key Issues in Forestry .....................................................................................................22 Chapter 5. Coastal and Marine Resources .....................................................................................23 5.1 Coastal and Marine Waters in the Dominican Republic .................................................23 5.2 Critical Coastal Ecosystems in the Dominican Republic................................................23 5.3 Marine Fisheries ..............................................................................................................24 5.4 Freshwater Aquaculture...................................................................................................25 5.5 Coastal Tourism Development........................................................................................26 5.5.1 Environmental Impact of Coastal Tourism ..........................................................26 5.6 Ports and Shipping Infrastructure....................................................................................27 5.7 Urban Development.........................................................................................................27 5.8 Key Coastal Issues...........................................................................................................27 Chapter 6. Biodiversity and Protected Area Management.............................................................29 6.1 Definition of Biodiversity in the Dominican Republic ...................................................29 6.2 Description of Terrestrial Ecosystems.............................................................................29 6.2.1 Forest Types, Typical Species..............................................................................29 6.2.2 Other Vegetative Communities............................................................................30 6.3 Floral and Faunal Diversity and Endemism ....................................................................30 6.4 Species Threatened and at Risk of Extinction.................................................................31 6.5 Key Issues in Biodiversity Conservation ........................................................................31 Chapter 7. Protected Areas of the Dominican Republic................................................................32 7.1 Tourism in the Protected Areas .......................................................................................33 7.2 Key Issues in Protected Area Management.....................................................................34 Chapter 8. Environmental Quality in the Urban-Industrial Sector ................................................35 8.1 Urbanization of the Dominican Republic........................................................................35 8.1.1 Case Study: Santo Domingo’s Marginal Neighborhoods ....................................35 8.2 Municipal Infrastructure Investment ...............................................................................35 8.3 Potable Water Supply for Urban Areas...........................................................................36 8.4 Domestic Wastewater Management ................................................................................36 8.5 Urban Storm Water Management....................................................................................37 8.6 Industrial and Commercial Wastewater ..........................................................................38 8.6.1 Case Study: Water Pollution at Thermo-Electrical Generation Plants.................38 8.7 Water Pollution in Natural Surface Waters .....................................................................38 8.8 Solid Waste Management................................................................................................39 8.8.1 Characteristics and Volume of Urban Solid Waste..............................................40 8.8.2 Status of Disposal