Risk Analysis in Transboundary Water of the Rivers Pilcomayo and Paraguay

Abstract

Analysis of Trans-boundary Risks in the Pilcomayo and the Paraguay River Basins could generate relevant technical information about the management of water resources in the proposed basins. The Pilcomayo River Commission (Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina) has conducted important studies in the water resources field of the Pilcomayo Basin that are currently stored in the Commission’s data base. Less information is available for the case of the Paraguay River Basin, especially in the area of study: the confluence area with the Paraná River. The study presents a border management tool for managing the risks associated with extreme events water in rivers shared between Argentina and Paraguay, in order to contribute to an efficient coordination work between local agencies that manage emergencies. This study also aims to identify the main risks that can occur in urban and rural environments of potential areas to be affected by floods, droughts and other natural and anthropogenic phenomena such as erosion, sedimentation and pollution from various sources. A web platform has been developed to collect all available information regarding these Rivers. Alpha 3 CapWEM project (Capacity development in Water Engineering and Environmental Management) in which eight Universities from European and Latin American countries collaborate on improving higher education in the fields of Water and Environmental Management has provided the framework for the present study.