Hydrologic Monitoring Plan of the Brazilian Water Producer/PCJ Project

Abstract

Both Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) have a wide range of strategies that include different economic instruments for nature conservation. Although the generation and maintenance of payment for hydrologic ecosystem services (Water-PES) is expanding in Brazil, there are difficulties in the implementation of projects. Due to the complexity and non-linearity of the hydrological processes, also affecting both EbA and Water-PES goals, monitoring qualiquantitative aspects of streams have been here addressed as a useful management tool. This study presents the Hydrological Monitoring Plan (HMP) of the Water Producer/PCJ project, operating between 2009-2014, in order to: 1) evaluate the impact of project actions under water quali-quantitative aspects; and 2) promote the incorporation of HMP's elements in water resources management. HMP of the Water Producer/PCJ project has been implemented following the conditions for efficiency (baseline, long-term scale compatible with the actions of the project, in the experimental and reference watersheds). In addition, HMP is being implemented from upstream to downstream in catchments with areas ranging from 17 to 130 km 2 . This proposal favors the quantification and valuation of hydrologic services that could be assessed by ecohydrologic monitoring and modeling. Thus, we look forward to the consolidation of the Brazilian information system of water resources, the reduction of modeling uncertainties and integrated assessment of the consequences of landuse/land-cover change that strongly impact goals of EbA and Water-PES initiatives.

Modeling freshwater quality scenarios with ecosystem-based adaptation in the headwaters of the Cantareira system, Brazil

“…The concept of ecosystem-based adaptation is addressed as "using biodiversity and ecosystem services to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change", which was defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity -10th Conference of the Parties (CoP) (CBD, 2010). Detailed definitions of EbA applied to the Cantareira system's headwaters can be found in Taffarello et al (2017). The WF is still an environmental indicator used in watershed plans.…”

Lessons Learned from the Water Producer Project in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

“…Complexity of hydrological monitoring to prove the effectiveness of FLR in terms of water conservation: During the 2013-2014 water crisis, several public and private institutions joined efforts to select Water Producer/PCJ sites for long-term hydrological monitoring. This multi-stakeholder plan for hydrologic monitoring assumed that, if available, data from the Water Producer/PCJ project would be a valuable example of how FLR practices and projects could alleviate local water shortage crises [21]. Despite its importance, implementing hydrological monitoring in FLR projects or in water-related PES schemes remains a challenge.…”

Linkages between Water and Forests in South American Watersheds under Restoration

“…The Cantareira Water Supply System (2300 km 2 ), hereafter referred to as the Cantareira System, encompasses 1000 hm 3 of reservoirs and is the main source of water supply for the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo and Campinas [38]. This region (Figures 4 and 5)was severely affected by the water crisis in 2013-2015, which brought water supply problems to the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo and Campinas and hydroelectric power generation concerns throughout the country [44][45][46][47][48].…”

“…In some of these, there is support from Brazilian universities in the ecohydrological monitoring of the projects [46,47]. See the EbA initiatives in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest developed until 2015.…”