hydrological.net

Water does not respect borders. Most of the world’s major rivers are shared by at least two different countries. These countries must find a way to work together to allocate the water and to maintain water quality. The Uruguay River, shared by Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, is an example of conflicts and cooperative works that can result from river treaties.

Background Information

The Uruguay River begins in Brazil, flowing towards the west. After the Pepiri-Gauçu joins it, it becomes the border between Argentina and Brazil, and changes course to run southward. Further downstream it acts as the border between Argentina and Uruguay. It is joined by the Rio Negro, a river which starts in Brazil before running through Uruguay. It joins the Parana River to form the Rio de la Plata, a coastal estuary on which the major cities of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Montevideo (Uruguay) sit.

Treaties

The countries that share the Uruguay River have signed a number of treaties concerning its management:

• Treaty for the use of Shared Natural Resources of the Bordering Stretches of the Uruguay River and its tributary, the Pepiri-Guaçu River. Signed by Brazil and Argentina.
• Treaty of the Rio de la Plata. This treaty, signed in 1977 by Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, concerns water resource management, environmental standards, and regional development throughout the Rio de la Plata basin.
• Statute of the Uruguay River. Signed between Argentina and Uruguay in 1973, an update of an agreement initially signed in 1938, outlining environmental standards, shared water use, and hydroelectric power generation.

Hydroelectricity and Industry

The Uruguay River is currently dammed for hydroelectric purposes in Brazil, at the Ita Dam, and on the border of Uruguay and Argentina at the Salto Grande Dam. Brazil and Argentina have plans to build a series of dams along their shared length of the river.

The river is used for the processing of agricultural products in Brazil. There is some concern about pollution from these activities, but they are regulated to acceptable standards.