Venezuela : Yacambu-Quibor, a project for integrated groundwater and surface water management

This case profile presents the progress of an ambitious multi-purpose water-transfer scheme in the vicinity of Barquisimeto-Venezuela, which aims, by transferring water resources from the Yacambu catchment, to (a) increase the area of irrigated agriculture in the highly-productive Quibor Valley (b) recuperate the Quibor Valley Aquifer, whose groundwater availability and quality have seriously deteriorated by excessive exploitation, through the conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater and (c) provide additional bulk water supply to Hidrolara, the urban water-services utility. Within the overall implementation plan for this project, GWoMATE has advised on the institutional and legal framework for the administration of the surface water and groundwater resources. Additionally, the experience of this project is being used as a contribution to improve the national provisions for groundwater resources management, by way of suggestions to consolidate the new Water Law currently in the drafting process.