The beaches of western Panama and part of Cocle province are the most popular, beautiful, and accessible of Panama.  They are in danger of extinction.  Unlike the threat of the past from the unrestricted plundering of sand for construction there are plans to cut the sand off at its source. That is to impede sand to flow from the hills to the beach via the rivers.  These beaches are actually a river in itself. A river of sand deposited by fresh water rivers.  The beach from Punta Chame to beyond Rio Hato comes from the dormant volcano known as El Valle.  While some of the sand is deposited by coastal erosion from the sea, the vast majority comes from the rivers and creeks that drain from the hills surrounding the El Valle volcano.  This sand in turn is distributed along the coast and toward Punta Chame by long shore currents.  That is why one sees Punta Chame jutting out to sea pointing towards Panama City.  Near the river mouths there are sand bars that are popular with surfers, fishermen, and other beach goers.  This sediment is deposited during the flash flood “crecidas” of the rainy season.

The wanton mining of the beaches in the past has left a deficit of sand on beaches.  This is evident by the acceleration of the loss of beachfront property to the sea in recent years.  The only way to replenish this sand is to allow the nature to take its course:  That is let the rivers deposit their sediment on the coast near their mouths which in turn permits the long shore currents distribute the sand along the coast.

If one takes sand from the beach or impedes its passage to it.  The result is the same:  dying beaches and the loss of beach front property. Sadly, the ongoing efforts to dam the Rio Teta are proceeding even though the down stream results are predictable.

As you are reading this there is a hydroelectric project being built covertly.  Across the highway from Vista Mar is the entrance to a town known as Guayabito de San Carlos.  Before the town to the right, just past the trans-Panama power line, across the Rio Teta is where the project ends at the powerhouse.  It begins almost two miles upstream where the dam will close the river this coming dry season.  The sediment settles at the head of artificial lakes, not the dam.  Look where the Chagres River enters Madden Lake.  There is so much sediment that it impacts the ability of the lake to hold water for canal operations. This water that is not allowed to flow supplies the sediments and nutrients necessary for the ecosystem to thrive.  The damming the Teta river in this area is the death knell for one of the surfers favorite breaks, “Tits” point.

The lake will create high land values surrounding the lake at the expense of the down river land owners.  From the Panamerican Highway to the beach is a designated tourist zone, around the dam and its lake is not. It is rumored that the project, Hidroelectrica San Carlos, S.A., plans distribute water for agriculture, cattle, and it is rumored to Vista Mar’s golf courses.  Their concession from the Ente Regulador says they are allowed to use this water only for the generation of electricity and it must be returned to the river course.

Rio Teta is the last river in western Panama province that has flow all year long.  It is born below Cerro Picacho above Coronado in one of the few natural lakes in all of Panama, La Laguna.  It’s entire watershed is from soil deposited from El Valle volcano, rich in the white quartz crystal and the black magnetite sands we know so well.

The closing of this river will have several negative impacts other than the irreparable beach damage:

1.      A vibrant riparian ecosystem will be turned into nothing but a drainage ditch.  Besides the sand, the sediment is rich in nutrients that fertilize and feed the whole ecosystem from the hills into the ocean.

2.      Salt water intrusion into the estuary will affect wells in the area of the river and surrounding coast.  Forests will be affected by this intrusion, causing something similar to Sarigua, the man made desert near Parita.  The estuary is the breeding ground of many species of fish and other sea creatures, some of them important food sources, such as shrimp.

3.      If no one has any say in projects like this, especially in designated tourist zones, nobody is safe investing in real estate in Panama and this will affect the entire economy of the country.

4.      Land values of anybody near the river and it’s mouth, which has many beautiful swimming holes, will decline.  Beach front homes, some of them quite expensive, will be lost to the sea.

5.      Surfing, both internal and tourist surfers from outside Panama will be affected.

6.      Danger of a catastrophe due to shoddy construction, as witnessed by the author and The Panama News.  Also, considering a dammed tributary washed out earlier this year.  No one has studied what would happen or who is in the path downstream.

Many countries are waking up to this problem.  I’m using Costa Rica as an example because the conditions are similar to Panama as far as proximity, size and needs.  Check out this excellent article.  It’s in Spanish:

http://www.feconcr.org/contents/anexos.htm

I’ve translated part of it:

“The effects of dams are far reaching, including the coast where altering the flow of nutrients and sediments can affect mangroves, beaches, and the coast in general.  Under natural conditions, a river transports sediments and nutrients, that are deposited along the banks the length of the river towards the ocean, if they are not trapped by dams.  These sediments are especially important in mangroves, characterized by their high productivity, which makes possible commercial shrimping, amongst other things.  The sediment is critical in the maintenance of beaches, which will shrink and disappear if the dams prevent the flow of water and materials .”

The environmental agency of the Panama Government, ANAM, told us that it does not need have an Environmental Impact Study (E.I.S.) on this project because micro hydroelectric plants which are defined as ones that has a capacity of 1.5 MW (mega watts) or less, do not require one.  This is after being stonewalled for three months.  We requested the E.I.S. through the supreme court via a habeas data lawsuit.  Furthermore, ANAM says because of this the project does not require an E.I.S.; no advisories to the community, public hearings, or any other participation of the citizenship is required!  This is ridiculous:  I need a permit to trim a tree that is threatening damage to my home! As a result of our efforts we now have the feasibility study for the project.  Based on several points, some are ANAM’s own rules, others are constitutional law, we are requesting an ex-post E.I.S. as per the rules governing ANAM allow. We requesting the ANAM stop the project in the meantime.

There are no signs on the highway to indicate this is under construction or how to get to the site, as there are on any other project of this or smaller magnitude. This indicates there are none of the inspections and permits from various government entities that insure compliance with laws, rules, and regulations that normally accompany these type of constructions. The Panama Government regulating agency the Ente Regulador on June 27, 2002 gave, Hidroelectrica San Carlos, S.A., their concession. Here’s the link:  http://www.enteregulador.gob.pa/  go to search, resoluciones, and type in “JD-3379”.  Rio Teta is phase one.  Phase two, plans to dam the Rio Mata Ahogado river which passes though the town of San Carlos and divert the water to Teta river. There is a water purification plant operated by the Panama Government’s IDAAN about a kilometer up stream from the town.  Does the hydroelectric project plan to sell water to the town after they cut them off?

There is a lot at stake here.  This concession and another possible 32 sites were identified and doled out for micro hydroelectric in the last days of the Balladares administration.  More research is needed to identify  how many micro and larger concessions were given.  Check out these links:

http://www.hidromet.com.pa/potencial_micro.htm

http://www.caritaspanama.org/incidencia/ecologia/ii_foro_represas.htm

More research is needed to find out how many rivers are going to be dammed.

The two recent articles on rio Teta in La Prensa are here:

http://www.prensa.com/t.asp?d=050825n318669 & http://www.prensa.com/t.asp?d=050831n324297

Pictures of this project taken in May of this year can be seen at:

http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_11/issue_11/outdoors_01.html

There are some very influential people backing this project, so much so that that some of my neighbors across the river, in Las Lagartijas, are deafeningly silent over this.  Please don’t let these persons destroy one of the most popular places in all of Panama.

Rivers outside the national park system are important ecological highways from the ocean to their sources.  I understand the ANAM has declared a 50 meter conservation on their banks.  Often, as is the case with the Teta river this land is some what inaccessible due to the cliffs and steepness of the banks.   This riparian zone offers a sanctuary for flora and fauna to flourish, especially in the dry season, that in many places has disappeared due to human activity impacting on the environment.

What does this mean to Panama?  No river or beach is safe from this threat.  No real estate near these area are safe for investment.  The solution is that each of these rivers are going to have to be evaluated on a case by case basis, balancing the values of development, tourism,  nature and environmental concerns, the growing demand for electrical power, and the needs of the local populations in a systematically open, fair and transparent forum.  Run-of-the-river hydroelectric plants are not even contemplated.  These plants are less intrusive and allow for floods.

The ecological damage does not justify the meager power generated. It is ironic that the electricity this project would generate only be enough to power a few of the seaside villas around the mouth of the river that the project threatens to destroy!

We are opposing this Rio Teta project.   We are actively seeking support, help on lifting the veil of secrecy to bring this to the attention of international conservation groups and the Panamanian people to put a stop to this wanton destruction of the environment.

There are alternatives, such as run-of-the-river schemes, during the rainy season,  combined with wind mill generators, during the dry season, if the true purpose was power generation instead of commercial land development and the sale of water.

Written by:     J. Douglas Allen

Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

consultants:             Joanne L. Stewart, geologist.

                      Janzel Villalaz, marine biologist.

The author has rode “Tits” surf break, swam in Rio Teta since the 1960’s and owned land along it since 1981.

Related links:

International Rivers network:       http://www.irn.org/

Indymedia, Pro-river groups Panama:   http://colombia.indymedia.org/news/2004/09/16408.php

Save Las Cruces Trail & their forests:  http://cruces.150m.com/main.html

Some run-of-the-river hydroelectric links:  http://www.usea.org/Climatechange/chapter8/8.3.html

http://microhydropower.net/index.php      

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/L/483/483-9-a.htm

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/L/483/483-9-b.htm

http://www.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/guide/hydropower_small.html

http://www.lowimpacthydro.org/appdetails.asp?x=3

http://www.watershed-watch.org/ww/publications/GreenEnergyMyth.html

V1.4