Download Mark Briggs-Environmental Sustainability Panel

Protecting Water Resources for People and the
Environment
2015 NAWC Water Summit
Private Enterprise. Public Trust
OCTOBER 6, 2015
Mark Briggs, Senior Program Officer, Fresh Water Program, World
Wildlife Fund [email protected] (520) 548-4045
A. Melton
About Us
WWF's mission is to
conserve nature and
reduce the most pressing
threats to the diversity of
life on Earth.
Our vision is to build a
future in which people
live in harmony with
nature.
© Michel Roggo / WWF-Canon
Our Work Is Global
Advancing conservation in 100 countries.
We Focus Our
Resources on
Supporting the
Following
Areas
Wildlife
Oceans
Forests
Fresh Water
Food & Agriculture
Climate
FreshWater
Fresh Water Goal
Secure water for people and nature.
By 2030, the world’s major basins are
sustainably managed to support
biodiversity and human livelihoods.
WWF’s BINATIONAL RESPONSE IN THE RIO GRANDE/BRAVO BASIN
6
Harbors more mammal species
than Yellowstone National Park.
More reptile species than the
Sonoran Desert.
Photograph by Jim Rorobaugh
More bird species than the
Florida Everglades.
Over 100 different fish
species, many found no
where else in the world.
Nearly 25% of all known
cactus species.
Rio Grande/Rio Bravo – A Watershed of Great Contrasts
Rapidly Growing Cities
Significant Farmland
Critical, yet Imperiled Fresh
Water Ecosystems
Peach and Williams 2000; Schmandt 2002]
Border population is doubling every
twenty years
Day’s Edge/WWF-US (2015)
Agriculture accounts for about 85% of
the total water demand in the basin.
A. Melton (2014)
Signs of Trouble in the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin
OverIMPOUNDMENT
the Last 50 Years:
RIVER
WATER DIVERSION AND OVER-ALLOCATION
OF WATER RESOURCES
CONTAMINATION
SPREAD OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES
FLOOD CONTROL ACTIONS
REUTERS/Tomas Bravo
The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo at El Paso/Juarez
LOSS OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR
PEOPLE AND NATIVE HABITAT
RIO GRANDE IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF
AMERICAS MOST ENDANGERED RIVERS
It Is All About Water
Natural Contributions
(snow and rain)
Paper water rights and water
concessions are almost double
the amount of water that is
typically available in the system
Jurgen Hoth
Upper Watershed
Ag (including livestock production) accounts for
85% of the surface water withdrawals in the
basin (TWRI 2012).
Agriculture
Evaporation
Community/Urban
Only drops remain for at-risk
communities and fresh water ecosystems
Peach and Williams 2000; Schmandt 2002]
Plumbing of the Rio Grande/Bravo
It Is All About Water
Natural Contributions
(snow and rain)
Climate change predictions
will likely exacerbate water
imbalances
Upper Watershed
Agriculture
Evaporation
Community/Urban
Drops for under-represented people and fresh
water ecosystems may be even more scarce
Plumbing of the Rio Grande/Bravo
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO PROTECT WATER RESOURCES
AT A BASIN SCALE?
Four important ingredients
Audra Melton
INGREDIENT ONE: SCIENCE AND RESTORATION EXPERIENCE AT THE
SUB-BASIN or REACH SCALE
Alfredo Rodriguez, WWF
INGREDIENT TWO: MULTI-SECTOR RESPONSE AND INNOVATIVE
PARTNERSHIPS
Ranchers, NGO, and Academia
Agencies, Riverside
Towns, NGOs,
Businesses, Private
Foundations
Farmers, Agencies, NGO,
Private Foundations,
Academia
Alfredo Rodriguez, WWF
Local Communities,
Agencies, NGOs, Private
Foundations, Academia
INGREDIENT TWO: MULTI-SECTOR RESPONSE AND INNOVATIVE
PARTNERSHIPS
National Park Service
Local Consultants
The Coca-Cola Company
WWF
Profauna CONANP
INGREDIENT THREE: NOVEL APPROACHES THAT INCREASE
FLEXIBILITY OF WATER MANAGEMENT
Eg., A Farmer Invests to Improve
Water Distribution and Irrigation
Potential Win-Win
for
People and Nature
Dry Farms in Other Parts of the Basin
J. Hoth
A. Rodriguez
Lining Antiquated Irrigation
Canals
Pool of Conserved
Water
Thirsty Cities
Fresh Water Ecosystems
INGREDIENT FOUR: BRINGING IT TOGETHER – FOMENT A TRUE BASIN-WIDE
RESPONSE
SANTA FE –
ALBUQUERQUE: TNC,
US Forest Service,
Coca-Cola, Academia,
Municipalizes, others
ELEPHANT BUTTE: NM
Audubon, Federal and
State Agencies,
Irrigation District
El Paso - Juarez
RIO CONCHOS AND
BIG BEND
WWF, Businesses,
Federal and State
Agencies, Farmers,
Ranchers, Academia,
Communities
BITTER LAKES: NGOs,
Federal Agencies,
Academica
LOWER RIO GRANDE
VALLEY: Farmers,
Municipalities, NGOs,
and Federal Agencies
RIO GRANDE/BRAVO
ESTUARY: NGOs,
Businesses, Federal
and State Agencies,
Farmers, Academia,
21
Municipalities
What can you do?
© naturepl.com / Juan Carlos Munoz / WWF-Canon
Support the Binational Rio Grande/Bravo Forum
 Fall of 2016
 Focus on water and water
management in a changing climate
 Bringing together diverse sectors
that are already engaged in water
and natural resource conservation
initiatives
 Learn from each other, explore
linkages and identify collaborative
ways forward
 Contact: [email protected]
Learn About Basin Report Cards
 Basin report cards are a proven tool to create a
shared vision of ecosystem health and spur
action (e.g., Chesapeake Bay)
 WWF, the University of Maryland’s Center for
Environmental Science (UMCES, and others are
leading locally led report cards in basins around
the world
 As part of Rio Grande/Bravo Forum we will be
developing a basin report card for a portion of
the basin
 Learn more at: worldwildlife.org/getthegrade
Become Part of the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)
 First global framework to promote
sustainable freshwater use
 Based on criteria for good water
stewardship that align with other
sustainability initiatives
 WWF and partners are working globally
with a diversity of sectors to improve
their water stewardship and pursue AWS
certification
 Learn more at worldwildlife.org/aws
Thank You
For More Information
Contact: [email protected]
(520) 548-4045
Audra Melton