Groundwater Development and Empowerment for the Embera

Groundwater Development and
Empowerment for the Embera
Indians, Southern Darién
Province, Panama
NGWA Summit – 21 April 2009
Michael E. Campana
Oregon State University
water.oregonstate.edu
The Ann Campana Judge Foundation
www.acjfoundation.org
[email protected]
Hydrophilanthropy
1) Altruistic concern for the water,
sanitation, and related needs of
humankind, as manifested by
donations of work, money, or
resources.
2) Use of water to express
kindness or benevolence, such as
the healing of psychological,
spiritual, and other wounds.
got water?
Job opening: Water-Carrier
Requirements: must be able to balance
45 pounds on your head while
trekking rocky dirt roads for miles.
Hours: up to 8 hours a day
Wages: $0
Only women and children need
apply!
(courtesy www.nwpdrilling.com)
Talk Organization
• Project objective and background
• Location
• The USA team
• Instruction, project photos
• Accomplishments
• Failures
• Recent events
Project Objective:
Water Self-Sufficiency
• Train Embera Indians to drill and
complete wells with the LS-100
drilling rig (www.lonestarbit.com)
• Establish ‘cottage industry’ – well
drilling, hand pump manufacture
and repair
• Provide on-site instruction,
multiple trips
Project Background
•Conducted under the auspices of
Lifewater International
•Invited by Embera Indians of
Panama’s S. Darién Province
•Survey trip in March 1999 and
“shopping trip” in January 2000
•2-week training trip in May 2000
•Cost: about $30,000
Project Location
•About 125 air miles from
Panama City
•Remote area – Rio Sambú
valley, dense rain forest
•No road access – plane,
freighter, or pack animal
•Somewhat dangerous – abuts
Colombia (FARC guerrillas)
Southern Darié
Dari n – looking west
Hand Pump, Puerto Indio
Local Transportation
The USA Team
• Michael Campana (hydrologist) team leader, latrine builder/cleaner
• Loring Green (geologist) - lead
trainer, mechanic, stockbroker
• Bob Jarrett (engineer) - trainer,
mechanic, medic
• Craig Woodring (engineer)-trainer
Loring Green Instructing on the LS-100
More Instruction
Drilling the Well
Examining Cuttings
Helping Hands
Installing the Gravel Pack
Finished!
Accomplishments
• Trained 6-man Embera team
• Team drilled three wells: two producers
•
•
(total c. 15-20 gpm) and one dry hole (< 1
gpm)
Team installed one submersible and one
hand pump
Provided one LS-100, mud pump, 500 feet of
4” ID PVC, drilling mud, 3 hand pumps,
cement, submersible pump, tools
Failures
• Poor USA-Panama communications
with locals; made coordination and
planning difficult
• No follow-up – future trips were
canceled because of dangerous
conditions (Plan Colombia)
• Lost touch with team after training
Recent Events
• Recently (2007) learned that the
Embera team is still active and
drilling. Rig in excellent shape!
• Larger pump requested – main
village’s population has doubled.
• Iron bacteria present in well –
chlorine treatment performed.
• Follow-up visit in Summer 2009?
Other HP Groups
• Lifewater International www.lifewater.org
• Living Water http://water.cc
• Engineers Without Borders
•
•
•
•
www.ewb-usa.org
Hydrogeologists Without Borders
www.hydrogeologistswithoutborders.org
Water For People www.waterforpeople.org
Water Advocates (umbrella organization)
www.wateradvocates.org
Millennium Water Alliance (consortium)
www.mwawater.org
Thank You!
Posted at: aquadoc.typepad.com/waterwired