Wetlands Threated by Dam Project

The following story was provided by Glenn Switkes, Latin America Program Director of the International Rivers Network:

The Paraguayan daily newspaper Hoy has revealed that the Paraguayan government has received support from the Spanish government for pre-feasibility studies for construction of a multi-purpose dam on the Paraguay River, at "Puerto Caballo", near the common border of Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. The dam project would have a direct impact on the Pantanal and Gran Chaco, the largest remaining wetlands area on the planet.

The dam project is not included in the studies underway for the Paraguay-Parana Hidrovia megaproject. International Rivers Network has sent a letter to the Intergovernmental Committee on Hidrovia, and the Inter-american Development Bank and United Nations Development Programme, who are funding the Hidrovia studies to clarify the relationship between the Puerto Caballo Dam and the Hidrovia.

For more information, please contact:
Glenn Switkes, Latin America Program Director
International Rivers Network
Phone: 510-848-1155
Fax: 510-848-1008
Email:glenirn@igc.apc.org

The text of the newspaper account follows:

"Puerto Caballo" Dam Has Support from Spain: Wasmosy Received Official Communique (Source: Hoy, Asuncion, September 19, 1995) The Spanish government will be in charge of studies of economic and technical viability for the Puerto Caballo Dam on the Paraguay River. This is a project which has been presented in various international circuits by Paraguayan president, Juan Carlos Wasmosy.

The official notice was recently transmitted to the Paraguayan government from the Spanish ambassador in Asuncion, Maria Asuncion Ansorena, according to information obtained yesterday.

The cost of carrying out these studies will be borne by the Ministry of Commerce and the Secretary of State for Cooperation, of the Ministry of External Relations of Spain, as requested, a fact confirmed in the diplomatic note sent by the Mother Country.

Ansorena also indicated that "it is good news even if only to confirm the excellent relations between our two countries."

In agreement with the Paraguayan project, the intention is to build a dam in the upper Paraguay River Basin, at the point known as Puerto Caballo, near where the three nations of Bolivia, Brazil, and our country share a common border, which will also require agreement by those neighboring nations to take the project forward.

Wasmosy had explained on various occasions that engineering data showed the possibility of the planned dam managing periodic flooding of the Paraguay River, avoiding not only flooding of riverine communities, but also regulating the waters in dry seasons so as to improve navigation.

In this sense, the project also includes a navigation lock, so as to not cut off access by ships to areas within the greater Pantanal area.

The principal objective of the dam is to benefit the arid Chaco region of our country, through a system of canals which will transport part of the waters of the reservoir of the Puerto Caballo Dam to irrigate these lands.

Wetlands Threated by Dam Project

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