Guaviare River Report card - World Wildlife Fund

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Guaviare River Report card

b

c+

2016 b

Middle Guaviare

Lower Guaviare

Upper Guaviare Inírida

Lejanías

Fuente de Oro

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B AY GU

GU

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AV

AR IAR I RI

E AR

O ER

M in ec sen ing os sit in ys ive te m s

B-

R ATE

P CU E

TY

N HEAL

EC S & L OSYSTE M S A N D SC APE

Terres connec trial tivity

Risk s wa to qua ter lity

W a & ter de s m up an pl d y

tem sys es Ecoervic s

Stable a re forest a

N lan atur d c al ov er

Water ex quality ind

W

T

H

SI

B

A spectacular basin in transition The Guaviare River Basin received an overall area-weighted average grade of B- (64%), with the Upper Guaviare receiving a C+ (56%), and the Middle and Lower Guaviare receiving a B (70% and 69%, respectively). There was a mix of moderate, good, and excellent results for the ten indicators assessed. Overall basin scores ranged from as low as 45% for water quality and human nutrition, to 95% for water supply and demand. Overall the sub-basin had excellent scores for risk to water quality (90%), water supply and demand (95%), natural land cover (85%), stable forest area (87%), and ecosystem services (82%). However the overall score for the entire sub-basin, is not representative of each of the three reporting regions,

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Biodiversity Knowledge Gap Index

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MA N GOV AGE ER M N

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BIO DIVER

The Guaviare River originates in the Andes is the longest tributary in the Colombian portion of the Orinoco River (1,652 km). Due to its length and varied land uses, the Guaviare sub-basin has been split into three reporting regions for this assessment, the Upper, Middle, and Lower Guaviare. The basin includes a variety of ecosystems, with flooded savanna as the dominant type, followed by seasonal savannas, humid paramos, and Andean rainforest. Main threats to the sub-basin include deforestation for expanding agriculture; exploitation of natural resources from hunting, fishing, and illegal farming; and pollution from mining.

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Characteristics of the Guaviare River Basin

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ER RIV

San José del Guaviare

What do the scores mean?

a b

80–100% 60–80%

c d

40–60% 20–40%

f

0–20% no data

with very poor scores in the Upper Guaviare for terrestrial connectivity (23%) and water quality (35%). Mining for construction materials and limestone in and around the Ariari River, near the Macarena Range, is likely contributing to the poor water quality observed in the Upper Guaviare as well as the lowest score for stable forest area (76%) in the entire Orinoco River Basin.

Families in the Guaviare fight to preserve the natural beauty in La Lindosa Reserve

A need to know more

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VALUES B

FUTURE INDICATORS

IODIVERSITY

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PEOPLE & CUL TURE

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MMUNIT COOLVEME Y NT NV

CESS T AC NG W O AT KI IN

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DR

WATER

La Lindosa Reserve is an important protected area.

FL O R A CHNESS

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ULTUR R IC A AG RTIFICATIO L E

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N AG E M E N T / MA ERNA NCE V GO

M M AL MA CHNESS RI

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Al ex a

transportation corridor.

The extensive biological diversity found in the basin demands significant investments in biodiversity assessments and monitoring to supplement important yet fragmented biodiversity records. Additionally, information is needed on the topics of agricultural certification, the state of river-related cultural values, and access to potable water in order to include related indicators in subsequent report cards.

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In La Lindosa, 225 families have committed to conservation and protection of natural resources by adopting sustainable practices such as organic agriculture, stabled livestock, and ecotourism. They formed the Corporation for the Conservation and the Sustainable Development of La Lindosa’s Range and its Influence Area - CORPOLINDOSA in 2006. These families face the challenge of restoring once forested ecosystems affected by the expansion of agriculture, illicit crops, and induced fires. They fight to conserve six micro-watersheds, 297 brooks, and 290 headwaters that flow through the department.

For many years, rivers were the main channels of transit and communication in the Orinoco region; however, due to the improvement and expansion of roads, the movement of travelers and cargo through these waters has been considerably reduced. Whereas, 10 years ago there © W were seven passenger ships and five cargo ships arriving daily at the port of San José del Guaviare, today only one or two arrive daily. Despite the decline in river transport in recent years, development in the region brings the potential for this river to become the transport artery for The Guaviare the region once again. provides an important W

The La Lindosa Range, 17 km from San José del Guaviare, is famous for it’s unique ecosystems and high biodiversity. The landscape is characterized by many caves, tunnels, and natural bridges. These unique attributes have given rise to a growing ecotourism industry.

The Guaviare River Highway

L TU R A CU CAT L ION U ED

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H E R I ES

D I G EN O U IN AREAS S

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FISH CHNESS