Guánica Bay Watershed Initiative

Transcription

1 Guánica Bay Watershed Initiative Prepared by Center for Watershed Protection For NOAA and PRDNER NOAA circulated plan to all agencies USDA/ NRCS entered As commitment to Coral Reef Task Force

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3 How did this evolve? NRCS letter from Chief to agencies challenging them to join in the Guánica Watershed initiative NRCS provided funding ($250K in seed funds) Committed $1 Million in FY10 to agricultural practices Asked for 5 year commitment from all agencies Other agencies responded according to their available programs, funding limitations, and staff

4 Current Partners USDA/NRCS NOAA FWS EPA PR Dept. of Natural and Environmental Resources Center for Watershed Protection National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Municipality of Yauco Municipality of Guánica University of Puerto Rico Lajas Valley Farmers Envirosurvey, Inc. Local NGOs PR Land Authority PR Land Administration PR Electric Power Authority PR Aqueduct & Sewer Authority PR Dept. of Agriculture Agricultural Extension Service

5 Large Groups/ Large Plans Advantages Greater funding resources Broad expertise Greater public buyin and involvement More robust plan Complications Conflicting goals and hidden agendas Stagnation through indecision Division and coordination of work Logistical complications So how is this working?

6 Guánica Bay Watershed Plan Issues: 1)Upland erosion in the coffee growing regions 2) Reservoir sedimentation and transport 3) In-stream channel erosion 4) Loss of Historic Laguna de Guánica 5) Legacy contaminants 6) Sewage treatment.

7 Guánica Watershed Initiative 1)Upper Watershed - Upland erosion in the coffee growing regions 2) Reservoir sedimentation and transport 3) In-stream channel erosion 4) Loss of Historic Guánica Lagoon - Possible restoration 5) Legacy contaminants 6) Sewage treatment improve Guánica WWTP Define what can be worked with Define where your agency/entity best fits

8 Upper Watershed Rio Yahuecas (above dam) Rio Prieto (above dam) Rio Guayo (above dam) Watershed includes east Lajas Valley, Rio Loco, and associated watersheds. Western Lajas Valley drains to Laguna Cartagena NWR. The Loco Valley Watershed is a highly managed system including: 5 reservoirs 2 hydropower plants irrigation drainage systems. Upper Loco (above dam) Upper Yauco (above Luchetti)

9 Upper Watershed Why not just the Rio Loco Watershed? Why is it called the Rio Loco? Loco Reservoir receives major water supply from Luchetti through the hydropower system Major event rainfall is diverted from Luchetti to Loco as rapidly as possible Excess flows out through the Rio Loco with a lot of fine sediments

10 Coordinate within your own agency/group Sun to Shade Coffee Initiative Started with PFW Program Agro-forestry practice Adapted for certain watersheds for Coastal Program Practice adopted by NRCS /EQIP Use or adapt tools you already have

11 Sun to Shade Coffee Initiative Sun Coffee (slopes may be > 45 o ) Shade Coffee Model Interagency Habitat Conservation Working Group

12 Coordination with Partners MOU with NRCS to promote practice in coffee farms. FWS detail with NRCS (S.Padron & R. Colon) Envirosurvey, Inc. - Providing technical assistance & seedling trees Additional NRCS practices included Contour planting of coffee (new farms) No till Nutrient/chemical management Soil testing Need to adapt existing access road practice for PR farms

13 Yauco and Maricao Sun Coffee Farms FY10 Farms in red are with a combination of FWS and NRCS funds Farms in yellow are FWS funds only Included both Coastal and Partners for Fish and Wildlife Programs NRCS used EQIP practice funding

14 Progress for FY10 and Future Plans Total Acres Trees Pace the work to your and your Partners limitations Enrolled 17 farms for FY10 Expect about half as many new contracts for FY11, FY12 Planned workshops for farmers in FY11 with partners Started long-term monitoring plan for 5 farms to include wildlife use and forest health Hope to incorporate soil erosion and coffee production monitoring with NRCS or others

15 Laguna de Guanica

16 Laguna de Guanica Anegado Laguna de Guanica

17 Photos courtesy of R. Viqueira

18 Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge Eutrophication has been an issue There will be complications

19 Next Steps (for FWS Coastal & PFW Programs) Continue work with NRCS in the upper watershed Work with Partners on the restoration of Laguna de Guanica Partner with NRCS for river channel and bank restoration Lessons Learned Be sure issues are well defined Determine what is possible in the short-term, and longer term Define where your agency/entity can fit in Adapt existing programs, initiatives and tools to selected issues Be clear about your agency/entity s goals Get movement on projects quickly Pace the work to meet your agency and partners limitations There will be complications, be patient