Chapter 1. Background

Regional and Local Background

Section keywords: location, population, climate, economic activities, river extension, main characteristics, ecology, importance, navigability

Related documents: PBOT de Puerto Berrío, Plan de Desarrollo 2008-2011, Información Básica Municipio de Puerto Berrío (Gobernación de Antioquia)

The municipality of Puerto Berrío is located in Colombia, in the department of Antioquia. It is found on a flood plain, that belongs to the Middle Magdalena region, called this way because of the presence of the Magdalena River, the main river of the country. A total of six municipalities of the department of Antioquia are part of this region, and four of them are located on the riverside, including Puerto Berrío, at an elevation above sea level of 125 m. Puerto Berrío was founded in 1.875 and nowadays has an extension of 1.184 Km2 and a population of 48.802 inhabitants (2008). The municipality is of great importance thanks to the harbor at the Magdalena River, which connects the center of the country with the rest of the world. The Magdalena River has length of 1.550 km and crosses the country from south to north, flowing into the Caribbean Sea, constituting the main navigable artery of the country. The economic activities of Puerto Berrío are mainly the commerce, cattle farming and agricultural crops such as lemon and manioc. (Plan de Desarrollo Puerto Berrío 2008-2011)

The climate in the territory is warm and influenced by the presence of the river, with a mean annual temperature of 28,4ºC, being the first months of the year the warmest and the last the coldest, with a maximum of 30,5ºC and a minimum of 26,2ºC. The precipitation has a bimodal distribution, i.e. there are two rainy seasons in the year, namely in April and September, being December and January the driest months. The annual mean precipitation is 2.399,3 mm. Puerto Berrío has a very humid climate, whit relative humidity that ranges from 66% in February to 90% in July, resulting in a mean annual value of 79,8%. This high humidity is a consequence of the also high evaporation in the territory, which at the same time depends on the wind velocity, not higher than 3 Km/h, the temperature and the solar radiation. For Puerto Berrío, the mean annual evaporation is 1.414,5 mm (PBOT Puerto Berrìo, 2000)

Institutional framework

Section keywords: Cormagdalena, Corantioquia, Aguas del Puerto S.A., Conhydra, Oficina de Planeación, ISAGEN, IDEA, IDEAM, Inst. Geográfico Agustín Codazzi, MAVDT, Departamentos de Ing. Ambiental diversas universidades.

Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development

The Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development is the governing national public entity in the environmental, housing, territorial development, drinking water and sanitation matters, that contributes and promotes actions oriented to a sustainable development, through the formulation, adoption and technical and legislative implementation of policies, following the principles of participation and public management integrity. [1]

IDEAM

The IDEAM is the Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environmental Studies for the national territory. It’s function is to generate knowledge and produce and provide data and environmental information besides carrying out studies, research, inventories and information monitoring and management activities, that serve as a base for decision making in environmental policy matters and for the use and management of the bio-physical natural resources of the country. [2]

Corantioquia

Corantioquia is a national, public, corporative entity, with financial and administrative autonomy. It comprises 80 municipalities, including those of the Middle Magdalena region located in the department of Antioquia. It is its duty to administrate the renewable natural resources and to issue environmental permissions for their use, and also to regulate the activities that may affect the environment. This entity carries out policies, plans, programs and projects related to the environment and the renewable natural resources and it cares for the fulfillment of the legislation issued by the Ministry of Environment. [Corantioquia, 2008]. [3]

Cormagdalena

Also called “Regional Autonomous Corporation of the Magdalena River”, Cormagdalena is a special national corporative body with its own budget and administrative and financial autonomy. The main objective of the corporation is the recovery of the navigability and port activities of the Magdalena River, as well as land conservation, energy generation and distribution and the sustainable use and preservation of the environment and the renewable natural resources. The jurisdiction of Cormagdalena includes all municipalities located at the riverside of the Magdalena River from its start in the southern part of the country till its end in the Caribbean coast. [4]

Mayoralty of Puerto Berrío

Among the many functions of the Mayoralty of Puerto Berrío, this governmental body must establish mechanisms for the planning and sustainable development of the municipality and care for the integral development of the community and its most vulnerable groups. These are the most relevant functions regarding the present work, as well as the functions of the Planning Secretary, a dependency of the Mayoralty. This office must present development and investment projects and programs to the Municipal Council and is also in charge of the preparation and formulation of the Land Use Plan, the Development Plan and other sectorial plans of the municipality. [5]

Aguas del Puerto S.A.

Aguas del Puerto S.A. is the company in charge of the drinking water supply and the sewage system for the municipality of Puerto Berrío and should guarantee quality and efficiency and improve the coverage and continuity of the service. [6]

Fundación Neotrópicos

Neotrópicos is an environmental, non-governmental organization located in the city of Medellín, the capital of the department of Antioquia. The objectives of the organization are to promote and spread the knowledge, research, recovery, restoration, conservation and rational use of the neo-tropical ecosystems. The main activities of Neotrópicos are focused on the restoration and conservation of the Mompox flood plain, located at the riverside of the Magdalena River, downstream of Puerto Berrío. [7]

Legal framework on water quality

Section keywords: ley 99 de 1993, decreto 1594 de 1984, decreto 3100 de 2003, water quality standards.