The Negro River, in the province of the same name, recorded a drastic water loss of 43% in the last two decades, according to a recent study presented by the provincial government.
In response, the Israeli company Mekorot proposed a roadmap to address the water crisis threatening the future of the Patagonian province.
The current average annual runoff of the Negro River is around 23,000 cubic hectometers per year, well below historical records.
Moreover, projections indicate that the situation will worsen: by 2055, an additional 20% decline in water supply is expected.
“The trend of the last 20 years indicates that, on average, there was a decrease in water availability of about 43%,” explained Gastón Renda, Superintendent of the Provincial Water Department of Río Negro (DPA), in an interview with +Producción.
The million-dollar projects under analysis to ensure potable water for Río Negro
The report by Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, proposed two main options to ensure supply in the Atlantic zone of the province.
The most economical alternative is to build a canal from the Negro River to Sierra Grande, passing through San Antonio Oeste.
This project requires an investment of $517 million and would allow irrigation of 5,000 hectares along the route.
A second, more ambitious option involves irrigating 10,000 hectares with an outlay of $1,024 million.
Another alternative analyzed was to expand the capacity of the Pomona-San Antonio canal, which crosses 190 kilometers of desert.
The study was requested by former governor Arabela Carreras and funded by the CFI. The official presentation took place in the Grey Hall of the Government House in Viedma.
New rules: water as an economic resource
One of the central recommendations of the Israeli work is to instill in society the concept of Economic Value of Water (VEA).
This implies that any user who derives an economic benefit from the use of water must pay an appropriate compensation.
The implementation of these measures will require changes in laws, reformulation of agencies, and stricter control over the commercial use of water in Río Negro.
The study also detected hundreds of irrigated hectares undeclared throughout the province.
The report indicates that the current irrigation efficiency is 50%, leaving ample room for improvement.
Despite climate change, projections indicate that the water supply would exceed demand by approximately 30% in a trend scenario.
The opportunities for agricultural expansion
The 37-page document distributed to provincial legislators also highlights opportunities for economic growth.
According to the conclusions, the irrigated area can be expanded by 179,000 hectares with an economic result of $244 million per year.
The projections were made with a 30-year view. “If the projected 178,747 hectares are brought under irrigation by 2055, the water supply, even considering the effects of climate change, would still be greater than the demand,” noted Renda in an interview with +Producción.
Although the province of Río Negro faces a critical scenario regarding water availability, at least concrete alternatives are emerging.
The key will be in the efficient management of the resource and the investments made in the coming years to ensure potable and productive water for Río Negro.
The main challenges identified:
- Loss of 43% of the flow of the Negro River in two decades
- Projection of an additional 20% decline by 2055
- Current irrigation efficiency of only 50%
- Hundreds of irrigated hectares undeclared
- Need for million-dollar investment in infrastructure
The presentation was led by Diego Berger and Juan Andrés Pina from the company Mekorot, who presented both at the Government House and before the Planning Commission of the provincial Legislature.
