hydrological.net

Please read Part 1 first.

The Cellulose Plant Conflict

In April of 2005, construction was started on a cellulose plant on the Uruguay side of the river which would be a major boost to the struggling Uruguay economy. Argentina protested that the plant would pollute the river and that they had not been consulted about the plant as stipulated in the Uruguay River Statute. Uruguay claimed that Argentina had been consulted and did not express disapproval for the plant. Opposition to the plant is led by the Citizens’ Environmental Assembly of Gualeguaychu, the Argentinean town located across the river from the proposed plant site. The Assembly organized blockades of the Libertador General San Martín Bridge, connecting Gualeguaychu with Fray Bentos, Uruguay, one of only three bridges connecting the countries. Argentina submitted a complaint to the International Court of Justice who ruled in Uruguay’s favour. The government of Argentina responded to the ruling by speaking out against the blockades, but not taking action against them. This conflict is still ongoing with both construction on the plant and occasional blockades continuing.

Water Quality and Quantity Issues

Though rainfall and river discharge are highly variable seasonally and regionally, the region is quite wet and water is generally available in sufficient quantities throughout the region for present agricultural (including irrigation), domestic, and industrial use.
Water quality, however, is a concern. Millions of people rely on the river for their water supply and would be compromised if it became too polluted. The binational and multinational agreements concerning the river include environmental standards to limit pollution, but the recent cellulose plant conflict shows that conflict over pollution exists despite these precautions.

Another problem is sediment load. Much of the river basin has been logged, increasing soil erosion and leading to higher sediment levels in the river. This puts more stress on water treatment plants. There are currently no plans in place to counteract this rise in sedimentation.

Future Considerations

Construction of more hydroelectric dams will further alter the nature of the river by restricting sediment and artificially regulating water flow. Existing reservoirs may be expanded to meet growing needs, forcing relocation of villages. The growing megacities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo will place further stress on the rivers. Montevideo currently does not use water from the Rio de la Plata which is brackish by the time it reaches the city, but current growth and overuse of aquifers may force Montevideo to pipeline water in from a less saline part of the river. Buenos Aires uses both groundwater and water from the Plata and releases its sewage into the river untreated. Pollution from these cities could negatively influence upstream flora and fauna, with migratory fish being especially vulnerable.