User:WikiNeo4/Water resources management in the Dominican Republic

Tourism in the Dominican Republic

Tourism is one of the main economic activities in the DR. Indeed, Tourism currently comprises 13% of GDP and contributes 29% of total export earning. In addition, tourism host more than 200 companies and employ 200,000 people. Tourism depends to a great extent on the quality of water resources and the coastal environment. However, the tourism industry is threatened by the deficiency of the water and sewerage services and the environmental pollution caused by inadequate management and disposal of sewage and solid waste.

The tourism sector in the Dominican Republic faces challenges related to climate change, particularly in the management of water resources. Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, can place stress on water systems and affect coastal ecosystems, which play a role in the country's tourism appeal. Efforts to improve water management, including wastewater treatment and conservation, are being implemented to address these issues. These measures aim to enhance resilience and support the sustainability of both the tourism industry and the natural environments it depends on.

On the other hand, tourism harms the Dominican Republic's water resources and environment. WRM issues associated with tourism include: dumping of untreated waste water and solid waste along the coast, overexploitation of groundwater, destruction of forest cover, and overfishing of coral reef and marine species.

Environmental issues

Water related risks

Upper watershed degradation, primarily in the form of soil erosion, has significant downstream effects. Erosion rates have been estimated at four times those of 1980. Across the Dominican Republic, sedimentation has reduced reservoir capacity by some 10-25 percent, with important economic effects for the hydropower industry (assuming a loss of hydropower generation of a mere 20 percent, the cost of dam siltation only in hydropower generation lost would exceed US$10 million per year). In addition, watershed degradation increases the costs of maintaining other water systems, such as irrigation channels and water supply infrastructure, and it affects coastal water quality. High turbidity from land-based sediments prevents reefs from forming in most of the Dominican coast.

The Dominican Republic is exposed to a number of natural hazards, such as hurricanes, storms, floods, drought, earthquakes, and fires. The destructive force of these phenomena can be enormous - in 1998 Hurricane Georges caused economic losses estimated at US$2,193 (14 percent of gross national income), and 235 deaths. In particular, climate shocks have included a dramatic increase in the frequency of major weather events over the past forty years, with 491 recorded major weather events during the previous decade, as compared to 126 from 1960 to 1969. Flooding has emerged as the most common recorded disaster during the 1990s, replacing fires for the first time in nearly fifty years. Alarmingly, flooding is mostly due to non-extreme weather events. Out of the recorded 464 major flooding events between 1966 and 2000, only 33 were caused by hurricanes or tropical storms, while the overwhelming majority of flooding was caused by precipitation during the rainy season.

According to the IDB (Inter American Development Bank) in November 2023, Tropical Disturbance 22 brought over 431 mm of rain in just 24 hours, causing widespread disruption across the Dominican Republic. The resulting floods displaced over 37,000 people, damaged more than 7,000 homes, and left an estimated 2.3 million residents without access to drinking water. The most affected areas included provinces in the south and east of the country, highlighting the increasing vulnerability of critical infrastructure, including water supply systems, to extreme weather events.

Potential climate change effects

Global climate change is expected to induce permanent climate shocks to the Caribbean region, which will include sea level rise, higher surface air and sea temperatures, extreme weather events (such as tropical storms and hurricanes), and more frequent and more severe "El Niño-like" conditions. Demographic growth accelerated environmental degradation, deforestation, and lack of mitigation measures will intensify the effect of disasters in the future.

Climate change has contributed to an increase in extreme weather events globally, including floods, heatwaves, and droughts, which have disrupted water systems and infrastructure in many regions. Similar patterns are observed in the Dominican Republic, where shifts in precipitation and temperature have affected water availability and quality. These changes have placed additional pressure on existing water management systems, highlighting the importance of long-term planning and resource management to ensure stable access to water resources under evolving climate conditions.

Hurricane Matthew reached a category 4 hurricane in October 2016 making landfall in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic faces increasing climate-related challenges, including more frequent extreme weather events, shifting rainfall patterns, and rising temperatures. Flooding has become more common, often occurring outside of extreme storms, while environmental degradation and deforestation have intensified disaster risks. These changes threaten infrastructure, agriculture, and water resources, limiting adaptation options and increasing economic instability. Strengthening climate resilience through improved disaster preparedness and sustainable resource management is essential to mitigating future risks.

In terms of climate change effects on water resources, and according to the Dominican Republic's first communication, it is expected a great decrease in spatial distribution of rainfall, and total runoff for the year 2100, demonstrating a structural change that intensifies the transition from the most humid zones to the driest and an expansion of the areas of the country that are historically the driest.

Ongoing programs and initiatives

In May 2008 the World Bank has approved a US$80 million loan to restore and strengthen irrigation, electricity, water, and sanitation infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storms Olga and Noel, enhance critical infrastructure to reduce future storm-related effects, and strengthen basic capacity for future risk management in INDRHI and CDEEE.

A US$100 million loan has been allocated to enhance the efficiency of social programs such as SUPRATE and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable populations. From 2018 to 2023 SIUBEN (Single Beneficiary System), SUPRATE, and ADESS (Administration of Social Subsidies) have received continuous support for the development of an adaptive social protection system. SUPRATE is the Dominican Republic's primary social protection program, providing conditional cash transfers to low-income families to support children’s education and healthcare. The program also offers skills training and employment support to improve job placement opportunities for participants.

In July 2024, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a financing package of up to US$200 million to support the Climate Resilience Program for Bridge Infrastructure in the Dominican Republic. The program aims to strengthen critical transportation infrastructure against the impacts of climate change, particularly extreme weather events such as hurricanes and flooding. The financing will assist in rehabilitating vulnerable bridges, enhancing capacity for climate-resilient construction, and improving emergency response mechanisms to safeguard connectivity and economic activity during future disasters including the management of water resources and their supply.

References

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