Transcript Document

UNESCO-executed activities in GEF project
“Integrated Natural Resource Management
in the Baikal Basin Transboundary
Ecosystem” (Mongolia and Russian Federation)
Sarantuyaa Zandaryaa
International Hydrological Programme
UNESCO, Paris
UNESCO-executed activities
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UNESCO is an executing international partner for activities
under:
 Output 1.3: Assessment of groundwater resources in the
Baikal Basin and groundwater-related transboundary issues
 Output 1.4: Review and rank upgrade needs for Mongolian
municipalities in Selenge River basin, including the
identification of ongoing and planned water and sanitation
projects, focusing on Kharaa River Basin pollution
assessment
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UNESCO-UNOPS Interagency Agreement was signed and
became operational in September 2012.
Output 1.3
Assessment of groundwater resources
in the Baikal Basin and groundwaterrelated transboundary issues
Groundwater in the Lake Baikal Basin
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Groundwater plays a central socio-economic role
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Primary source of drinking water
Supplies major cities in the basin
Agriculture and industry
Exploitation mainly from shallow unconfined aquifers, generally supplying
high quality water
Vulnerable to pollution (especially shallow groundwater) and overexploitation
Climate change is expected to further increase the importance
 buffer function
IWRM: to recognize the intergrated nature of surface and shallow
groundwater circulation
Deep groundwater circulation plays a role in the lake‘s ecology (not a focus
in the framework of this project)
TDA/SAP will need to address:
 Protection of groundwater sources for potable water
 Protection of recharge areas (Karst, main fractured belts along the active
Scope of activities under the Output 1.3
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Compile existing knowledge, data and information on transboundary
groundwater resources in shallow aquifers in the Baikal Basin, with special
regard to:
 Sustainable, integrated management of groundwater and surface water and
environmentally sound water protection policy
 Increasing water demand for drinking and other purposes and potential impacts of
excessive groundwater exploitation
 Transboundary pollution threats to groundwater quality (in close cooperation with
Output 1.4).
 Advantages of conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water for social and
economic development.
 Vulnerability of groundwater and groundwater dependent ecosystems.
 Influence of the present status of land use and land use planning on groundwater
resources quantity and quality.
 Potential impact of climate variability and change on different type of aquifers
(shallow, karstic, deep) and on frequency and extent of natural disasters (floods,
droughts, storms, earthquakes).
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Output: Groundwater report as a contribution to the preparation of the
Baikal Basin TDA
 Identification of groundwater-related issues of transboundary concern
Recommendations for management
Activities and Progress to date: 2012
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IAA signed UNOPS-UNESCO signed in September 2012
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Key partners for the groundwater acitivities identified and contacted:
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Mongolia: Institute of Geoecology & UNESCO Chair, Ministry of
Environment and Green Development, Geological Investigation Centre,
Institute of Hydrology and Meteorology
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Russian Federation: Irkutsk State University & UNESCO Chair on Water
Resources, Geological Institute SB RAS, Baikal Institute of Nature
Management SB RAS, Limnological Institute SB RAS, Institute of Water
Problems (Moscow)
Activities and Progress to date: 2012
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Detailed workplan for the implementation of groundwater activitites and
TORs for national experts prepared
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Scientific-technical coordinator for output 1.3 contracted
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Four national experts on hydrogeology nominated and contracted (2 from
Russia, 2 from Mongilia)
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First workshop organized in Ulan Bator, November 2012
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Interim groundwater report submitted 20 January
 Comprehensive compilation of existing groundwater-related data and
information in the Baikal Basin
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Second groundwater team meeting organized, Ulan-Ude, March 2013
Based on the preliminary results, substantial additional inputs were
provided by the UNESCO team on groundwater issues,
 partly integrated in the final version of TDA doc as well as annexed.
Transboundary groundwater monitoring
network and database in GIS
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Transboundary groundwater monitoring network has not been
established yet  no evidence about groundwater quantity and quality
flowing across Mongolian – Russian boundary
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Together with existing data from surface water transboundary network
groundwater data will support calculation of total (surface water and
groundwater) transboundary water runoff and potential transboundary
groundwater pollution threats
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Standardization of monitoring methods and harmonization of sampling
frequency in both countries will provide reliable, mutually comparable
and consistent groundwater data sets; Quality Assurance / Quality
Control (QA / QC) procedure will be ordinary part of groundwater
monitoring procedure
Transboundary groundwater monitoring
network and database in GIS (cont.)
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Feedback is an essential future of any monitoring programme;
geostatistical methods and relevant models help to adjust monitoring
network design, optimize measurements and samplings frequency and
number of variables observed
Operation of transboundary groundwater and surface water monitoring
networks has to be integrated and coordinated with meteorological, soil
and other environmental networks and programmes
Establishment of transboundary groundwater GIS database , sharing of
monitoring data and free data exchange between both countries is
pointed out
Workplan Output 1.3: next steps
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preliminary report was largely focused on data
collection and compilation
 Finalization and submission of the final groundwater
report - end of May 2013
 The final report will focus on analysis of the available
data, with special regard to transboundary aquifers in
the border between Russia and Mongolia
Output 1.4
Review and rank upgrade needs for
Mongolian municipalities in Selenge River
Basin, including the identification of ongoing
and planned water and sanitation projects,
focusing on Kharaa River Basin pollution
assessment
Scope of activities under Output 1.4
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A review and ranking of upgrade needs to improve water and
sanitation in Mongolian municipalities in Selenge River basin,
including the identification of ongoing and planned water and
sanitation projects
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A case-study on the Kharaa River Basin pollution assessment,
including the assessment of pollution hotspots and pollution
threats
Output 1.4: Water and sanitation
A review and ranking of upgrade needs to improve water and
sanitation for Mongolian municipalities in Selenge River Basin,
including the identification of ongoing and planned water and
sanitation projects:
 A review of the current situation of water and sanitation in
main cities and municipalities;
 Evaluation of the capacity and efficiency of existing municipal
wastewater treatment and sanitation facilities.
 Review and ranking of the upgrade needs for improving
municipal wastewater management.
 An inventory of ongoing and planned water and sanitation
projects
 Development of strategies for the prevention, control and
reduction of pollution from urban areas;
Access water and sanitation at the
national level
Access to water and sanitation in the Selenge
River Basin is high compared to the rest of
the country, especially in urban areas.
Access to water and sanitation in
rural areas: Selenge
Water and sanitation:
Preliminary findings
Access to water and sanitation is high compared to the rest of
the country , especially in urban areas.
 Only over 30 percent of the total population is connected to
central sewerage systems
 Over 100 wastewater treatment plants at the national level, of
which about 30 percent is fully operational
 The effluent treatment level of wastewater treatment plants is
low, especially in winter due to difficult operation conditions of
biological treatment processes
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Output 1.4: Kharaa River Basin
A case-study on the assessment of pollution
hotspots and pollution threats in the Kharaa River
Basin, with a specific focus on:
 Human impacts on water quality in the basin
 Major pollution threats to groundwater and
surface water quality.
 Pollution hotspots, including pollution
sources and types and levels of selected
main pollutants
 Urban wastewater management, including
the collection, treatment and disposal of
municipal sewage, stormwater, urban runoff
and solid waste
 Negative impacts of water pollution on the
sustainability of water resources in the basin,
as well as on human health and ecosystems
Scope of activities
Water quality assessment in the basin
 Identification of major pollution threats to groundwater and
surface water quality
 Identification and assessment of pollution hotspots, including
the identification of point and diffuse pollution sources and the
evaluation of types and levels of selected main pollutants and
their potential impact on water quality
 Evaluation of the present status of urban wastewater and solid
waste management in a major city(ies) in the Basin, specifically
municipal and industrial wastewater and mining effluents
 Evaluation of transboundary pollution transport and pollution
risks (type, toxicity, resistance and amount of pollutants) of
transboundary water resources
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Kharaa River Basin pollution assessment:
Preliminary findings
The headwaters of the Kharaa River are near the natural
background conditions.
 The quality of surface waters in the mountainous region of the
Kharaa River Basin is good
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 Low nutrients level
 Concentrations of heavy metals below the detection level
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The quality of surface waters in the middle and lower reaches
of the Kharaa river basin shows a certain level of degradation:
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Increased nutrient levels
The total dissolved solids concentrations are as high as 100-340 mg/L
Chloride concentrations increase to the range of 10-17 mg/L.
Heavy metal concentrations show increased levels, but most of them
being lower or near to the allowed maximum concentration.
Kharaa River Basin pollution assessment:
Preliminary findings
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Livestock from intensive farming sites watering directly at the
river bank leading to fecal contamination and direct nutrient
inputs to the river water by animal manure.
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There are releases of mercury, arsenic, cyanide and zinc by gold
mining activities with high impact to ground water quality
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Waste-water and sludge from the mining operation of the
Boroo gold mine is stored in a reservoir behind a dam
Output 1.4: Expected outcomes
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Enhance knowledge and information on water pollution from urban areas
and industrial operations
Develop and propose policy recommendations for integrated approaches to
water, sanitation and wastewater in urban areas with the aim to prevent,
control and reduce water pollution from municipalities, industrial areas and
mining operations
Develop and propose policy recommendations and approaches to enhance
water quality and ecosystems health with the aim to incorporate them as
an integral part of existing national water strategies and policies
Increase public awareness of policy-makers, municipal authorities,
industrial operators, and local communities on the impact of water
pollution on human health and the environment;
Strengthen cooperation between Mongolia and Russia on the management
of transboundary water pollution
Strengthen national capacities to protect and enhance water quality
through policy advice, priority setting, and awareness raising.
National and international partners
Key national partners and national experts identified
 Kharaa River Basin pollution assessment
Team of experts/consultants recommended through the
National Water Committee and Ministry of Environment and
Green Development
 Review of water and sanitation in the Selenge River Basin
Experts/consultants recommended by the Ministry of
Construction and Urban Development
International
partner
Project office of the German-funded MoMo project on
“Integrated Water Resources Management for Central Asia”
Activities and progress to date:
2012
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Detailed workplan for the implementation of activities
developed: September 2012
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Coordination and consultation meetings held to identify
potential national partners: November-December 2012
 Ministry of Environment and Green Development
 Ministry of Construction and Urban Development
 National Water Committee
 Mongolian Academy of Sciences and Geo-ecology Institute
 Advisor on Ecology and Environmental Policy to the President of
Mongolia
 Mongolian IHP National Committee for UNESCO-IHP
Activities and progress to date:
2013 (as of March)
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National consultants contracted
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Activities initiated and underway (being carried out)
 Outlines of reports developed
 Collection of existing data and information
 Identification of main issues and problems
 Discussion with key stakeholders
 Analysis of the data and information
 Drafting of reports
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Preliminary findings compiled for presentation at the TDA
workshop of the project (April 2013)
Activities and progress to date:
2013 (as of March)
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A scoping meeting organized in March 2013
 The meeting was attended by more than 20 participants representing:
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National Water Committee
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Ministry of Environment and Green Development
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Ministry of Health
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Ministry of Construction and Green Development
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Tuul River Basin Authority
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Central Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring
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Inspection and Monitoring Authority
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Hydro-Eco Complany Ltd.
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Mongolia Water Forum
Interim progress reports prepared in March 2013
Next steps and main outputs
Preparation of the draft final reports – end of May 2013
 A national multi-stakeholder workshop – 04 June
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 All relevant stakeholders from the relevant sectors will be invited
 The main purpose of the workshop is to discuss the findings of the
studies with relevent stakeholders, including Ministries, government
agencies, local authorities, basin organizations, research institutions,
non-governmental organizations, and the prviate sector
 Draft final reports of the two components/studies will be presented
and discussed at the workshop
 Draft final reports will be revised to incorporate the discussion and
comments raised during the workshop
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Finalization of the final reports – mid-June
Budget
Budget
Total allocation received to date: 175,000 USD
• Output 1.3 – 140,000 USD
• Output 1.4 – 35,000 USD
Consultants
Output 1.3
Output 1.4
78,200 (4 national
17,200
(national
consultants)
95,400
62,300
consultants, 1
coordinator)
Travel, including
meetings
48,000 (two expert
14,300
group meetings,
participation in SC
meeting
(coordination and
scoping meetings)
Miscellaneous
1,000 (purchase of -
Total
1,000
maps)
Total expenditure
to date
127,200
31,500
158,700