INTRODUCTION

The Arroyo Alamar, in Tijuana, Baja California, has been identified for rehabilitation and restoration since 1999. Several studies have been carried out with aim to restore the river and its environs to productive stability. Currently, the arroyo represents an "eyesore" to the city of Tijuana. Illegal flood plain encroachment, irregular settlements, and solid waste dumps threathen the local population with disease, malaise, and the risk of bodily injury or death in the event of a major flood.

Several studies have been performed on the Alamar, all seeking to develop the framework for a rehabilitation project that would take due account of conflicting interests such as flood control, the need to replenish groundwater, conserve riparian habitats, and provide for a healthy environment and a visually attractive landscape. These studies, funded by SCERP and other border agencies, have included the geography, hydrology, hydroecology, and sustainable river architecture. Baseline studies have shown the importance of the Arroyo Alamar from an economic and strategic standpoint. Yet, the link to the political establishment is missing. There are no current plans to move the project to the next step, despite its demonstrated urgency.

THE PROJECT

The project is to rehabilitate the Arroyo Alamar seeking a compromise between its natural and anthropogenic functions. Its natural functions include flood control, replenishment of groundwater, and preservation of riparian habitats. Its anthropogenic functions include the economic and other related uses of the flood plain, as well as the enhancement of the local environment through the provision of additional parks, recreation, and a more visually appealing landscaping.

A specific focus of the project is to avoid the mistakes of the past, when rivers where channelized and lined with the flood control objective as the only one. The new hydroecological approach seeks to satisfy not only the flood control objective, but also a host of other objectives that are both natural and of an economic origin. The net result is the incorporation of the river into the city's footprint, a demonstrated benefit which has been successfully tried in other similar projects in Mexico and elsewhere.

THE PROPOSAL

This proposal is to facilitate institutional development to build capabilities in Tijuana to carry out the Arroyo Alamar project to its timely and successful completion. The objective is to facilitate the getting together of Alamar stakeholders, so that momentum can be developed to move the project to the next stage.

The following stakeholder types have been identified in a preliminary stage:

1. The Neighborhood Committee of the Alamar (Comite de Vecinos del Alamar).

2. The industrial users (Usuarios industriales): swimming pools, brick factories, agriculture, ejido Chilpancingo, entertainment centers

3. The Nongovernmental organizations (NGO's): Council on Economic Development (Consejo de Desarrollo Economico), Bajaagua, Ffootball stadium

4. The private companies or entreprises: builders, consultants, land developers.

5. The local government agencies: IMPLAN, Ecology, Environmental Protection, Municipal Social Development (DESOM), Integral Development of the Family (Desarrollo Integral de la Famila-DIF)

6. The state government agencies: Urban Development and Ecology (SIDUE), Health (Salud), State Commission on Water (Comision Estatal del Agua)

7. The federal government agencies: SEMARNAT, National Water Commission (Comision Nacional del Agua-CNA)

8. Other financial interests: media companies (TV Azteca), sand mining companies.

9. External financial institutions: World Bank.

TIMEFRAME

The proposed project duration is 12 months, starting June 1, 2005, and ending May 31, 2006.

BUDGET

The proposed budget is $22,000. A detailed budget follows.