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The Paramo Ecosystems, Wetlands, and Oak Forests in The River Basin of Rio Grande in Antioquia (Colombia) in a Proposal for Sustainable Water Management.

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  2012 Dallas, Texas, July 29 - August 1, 2012  121340731.(doi:10.13031/2013.41950)
Authors:   Eugenia del Socorro González
Keywords:   sustainable water management, Belmira paramo ecosystem, land use, oak forests, payment for conservation

This paper is focused on a proposal for water management which is to be carried out from areas demanding for supply of such resource, usually from towns or municipalities toward rural areas and water providing regions and especially the ecosystems that sustain hydric regulation. This is, from a perspective of social and environmental responsibility, ensuring both resource sustainability and quality of life for rural population settled down in these natural systems. Considering that the participation of municipalities, from their low level of understanding about land use conflicts in water providing territories is insufficient to face the threats arising from changes in land use and impairment of strategic ecosystems for water supply. The paramo of Belmira is selected ad hoc, as well as oak forests and wetlands of the Rio Grande basin that supplies the Rio Grande II reservoir, located in the northern high plateau of the department (state) of Antioquia, from where 45% of the population in the metropolitan area of Aburr Valley (Colombia, South America) is supplied. Ultimately, a sustainable management alternative is displayed. This alternative comprises land-use management on spots where populations along with water-providing ecosystems are located, from the estimate of a payment for conservation.

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