Ceara Integrated Water Resources Management Project

(a) Increase the sustainable water supply for multiple uses, improve the efficiency of Ceará's integrated water resources management system and decrease vulnerability of poor populations to cyclical drought through: (i) improvements in the institutional, legal and administrative managerial frameworks with emphasis on participatory management mechanisms; (ii) the rehabilitation and new construction of the hydraulic infrastructure aimed at the integrated management of river basins; (iii) the development and consolidation of sustainable cost recovery, management, operation and maintenance systems for the hydraulic infrastructure; and (iv) the integration of environmental policies with water management policies. The main performance indicators are: (i) the percentage increase in the volume of bulk water supplied by COGERH, the states water resources management company; (ii) the increased reliability of water supply and resistance against droughts; (iii) the implementation of new and/or improved water resources management, operation and maintenance tools; (iv) increase in the number of users with enhanced reliable access to quality water; and (v) the percentage of recovery for fixed and variable costs of providing water.b. Stimulate multiple use, efficient and shared management of Ceará's water resources. The project would support the following actions: (i) organization and strengthening of river basin committees and water user associations; (ii) implementation and propagation of more effective water use and management technologies; and (iii) education, information and training of the general public and water users aimed at efficient water use, demand management and the reduction of waste. The main performance indicators are: (i) the increase in the number of river basin committees and water user associations, including the number of people participating in these entities; (ii) the decrease of the physical waste of water and the increased productivity in the economic sectors which use water as a production input; (iii) the percentage of billed water services v/s collections of bills.c. Promote the improved management of soil and vegetation in tributary watersheds to enhance water conservation, minimize erosion and maximize natural water storage mechanisms, through the adequate management of critical micro-basins and groundwater resources. The project would foster the hydro-environmental recovery of selected micro-basins in the state by increasing the vegetated area, controlling run-off, minimizing erosion, increasing water retention times, increasing groundwater recharge, developing aquifer management plans and recharge zone protection plans, improving the local infrastructure and production methods; and by evaluating new technologies. The main performance indicators are: (i) hectares of rehabilitated watershed vegetation, (ii) number of micro-basins stabilized, (iii) measured runoff hydrographs as a function of time and volume for specific microbasins, (iv) measurement of volumetric erosion in key microbasins and sedimentation change in key catchments, (v) number of recharge protection zones established, (vi) number of aquifer and groundwater management plans developed.