The Talise basin has been classified as an Evolving HELP basin.

Basin Properties

Geographical properties:

The Talise Basin is found on the island of Maewo in the nation of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean. The basin area is approximately 6 km².

The mouth of the Talise River is at 168°6’E/15°11’S and the length is 3.5km with an average width of 3 m, falling from an altitude of 190m. Flow at the monitoring station has varied from 100 l/s to over 500 l/s.

Monthly rainfall variations from 400mm to 50mm. The geology is mostly main-reef limestones and calcirudites, with fine tuffs and mudstones and Globigerina oozes in the upper reaches and alluvium at the mouth of the river.

Demographic properties:

The basin is located on an outer island of Vanuatu. The total population is about 400 in two villages, Talise and Tam. The majority of the community are subsistence farmers. Some revenue is generated through the sale of copra and kava. Other economic inputs into the communities would come from family working in the capital city Port Vila and Luganville town.

Land uses:

The principal land-uses in the area are farming including coconut plantations and water taro gardens.

Water resources and uses in the basin:

The water resources in the area include the Talise River used for drinking water, washing, fish and prawn harvesting, and water taro irrigation. A micro-hydro power feasibility study is taking place for the Talise River. There is currently no electricity in the basin. Ground water resources are not used. Rainfall is sufficient for farming needs.

Environmental properties:

The local communities express concerns over population growth rates, diminishing fish and prawn catches, increased clearing of the forest for farmland and decreasing river flows.

Policy and legislative properties:

The Government of Vanuatu passed the Water Resources Management Act in December 2002. Work is now being undertaken to determine how best to implement the Act. The remoteness from the administrative capital results in IWRM actually taking place at the community level through committees with the village chief as the leader.

Baseline information availability:

Hydrological data has been collected by the Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources since June 2000. The data is being collected as a part of a micro-hydro power feasibility project. The data includes rainfall and stream flow data. National census data is available. Studies have been conducted on biodiversity in the river, and work is currently underway to develop community based biological monitoring.

Organisations and institutions responsible for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the basin:

While the Government of Vanuatu has the legal responsibility for water resources management, the actual management takes place at the community level. The Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources has been helping the community look at IWRM through a UNESCO sponsored project entitled 'Catchments and Communities'.

Statement of Issues, Purpose and Outputs

Hydrological and Water Management issues:

There are questions as to how to manage the water resources. Population increases are putting pressure on the resources through increased irrigation of water taro. There are also concerns as to how the water resources will be managed if a portion is diverted to generate electricity.

Environmental issues:

Population increases are believed to be putting pressure on natural resources including land for farming, water for irrigation and freshwater fish and prawns.

Livelihoods issues:

Water taro gardens, for subsistence and cash cropping, compete for water resources.

Policy and legislation issues:

The Government of Vanuatu enacted a Water Resources Management Act in 2002. The challenge is now how to bring the Act into effect, particularly in remote parts of the country like the Talise Basin. Traditionally and practically the IWRM takes place at the community level. Members of the community express concerns that the custom ways of managing resources through village elders and taboos are failing as the population grows and desires for economic growth increase.

How do the issues fit with meet the Five HELP Policy Issues ?

Water and Food

There is a need to manage the water resources to provide a balance between competing uses including the irrigation of water taro gardens.

Water Quality and Human Health

Maintaining the water quality is imperative to the health of the communities.

Water and the Environment

It is believed that population growth is beginning to put pressure on water quality, quantity and depletion of other natural resources.

Water and Climate

There is concern that the area may be adversely affected by climate change by way of longer dry periods or more severe rainfall events and subsequent flooding.

Institutional change and capacity building issues:

The development of integrated water resources management concepts for the remote communities of Vanuatu. The development of IWRM concepts would help the development of the nation in and of itself as well as provided training for government workers in natural resources management and offer an example of the benefits of planned development.

Principal Purposes:

The development of a community based integrated water resource management plan will provide insight into natural resource management, the implementation of legislation, community level planning, and government officer skills development. Inclusion in the HELP Basin Programme would provide access to advice from other HELP Basins. The Talise River Basin is at an early stage of human impact and could benefit from the lessons learned in other more impacted areas.

Principal Outputs:

The development of an IWRM Plan for the Talise River Basin will increase capacity within the government of Vanuatu to manage natural resources through community participation, and the development of policies and practices to put legislation to work for the benefit of the people of Vanuatu.

Statement of Proposed Activities

Outline of the HELP programme design and plan:

The overall project will be the development of an integrated water resource management plan for the Talise River Basin. Hydrological data will be collected and analyzed to help the communities determine how their water resources can be divided amongst the various uses including domestic needs, irrigation for subsistence and cash crops, the health of the stream ecosystem, and the possibility of hydro-electricity development.

Measurement and reporting of baseline conditions in the basin:

There is currently little formal water resource planning conducted in the basin. Efforts have been initiated through a UNESCO funding project entitled ‘Catchments and Communities’. Discussions about water resource protection and management have taken place and hydrological baseline data is being collected.

Stakeholder analysis, participation and consultation:

There are two main groups of stakeholders: the communities within the Talise Basin and government departments responsible for resource management. The Talise community members will be directly involved in the planning and implementation of the IWRM plan. The interested government and non-government parties will assist and benefit from the experience of developing a community based natural resource management plan. The community is very interested in the management and well being of the Talise River as it is hoped that there will one day be a hydropower development bringing electricity to their communities. Government officers are frequently asked and offer any information they are able to about the progress of the development project. Officers are also asked to help the communities to development practices to protect water resources including fish and prawns.

Capacity building, training and education:

There may be a need for assistance to develop an integrated water resources management plan. Help will be sought from SOPAC, NIWA, UNESCO and other contacts generated through inclusion in the HELP Basin Programme.

Schedule of proposed activities:

2003 activities concluded with the drafting of a landuse map for the Talise Basin. Planned activities for 2004 include reviewing the landuse maps with community members and discussions as to how to proceed to develop a management plan for their water resources. Further Planning is needed. The Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources in conjunction with the communities of Talise and Tam need to develop a schedule of proposed activities.

Monitoring and evaluation:

Progress towards the development of an IWRM plan will be monitored and evaluated through feed back from the communities to government officers. Quarterly visits are made to the Basin for flow gaugings and data downloads for the micro-hydro feasibility study and work with the community to monitor stream health. Written reports of progress made towards the development of an IWRM plan will be prepared. The Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources in conjunction with the communities of Talise and Tam need to develop a monitoring and evaluation plan.

Statement of Commitment

Programme or project team members:

Talise and Tam Communities: Chiefs

Hydro Committee,

Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources

Erickson Sammy, Water Resources Manager ; Morris Stephens, Senior Water Technician 

Energy Unit 

Leo Moli, Director ; Donald Waloseje, Economist 

Environment Unit

Russell Nari, Environmental Officier

Supporting partners and stakeholders:

• Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources
• Environment Unit
• Energy Unit
• SOPAC
• NIWA
• UNESCO

Provision of resources:

• Funds for Government officers to visit the Talise River Basin are made available through the Government of Vanuatu’s rural electrification program.
• Past funding support has been provided by UNESCO.
• Technical assistance has been provided by SOPAC and NIWA.

Contribution to promoting HELP values

This project will serve as a stepping-stone in the development of IWRM for a nation committed to responsible development of their resources, protection of the environment and the improvement of the lives of their citizens.

What inputs from other HELP basins are required through technology-transfer and training to achieve the desired project objectives? What inputs could you provide to other HELP basins through technology-transfer and training?

Inclusion in the HELP basins will offer access to support and advice to develop an Integrated Water Resources Management Plan. International recognition of the efforts within a small nation may encourage further efforts to have their concerns such as environmental protection, climate change and sea-level rise addressed. The inclusion of the Talise River Basin will offer insight into a minimally impacted area for comparison and perhaps offer an example for others to work towards.

Key contacts for this project:

Erickson Sammy

Water Resources Manager

Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources

Private Mail Bag 001

Port Vila, Vanuatu

E-mail: gmines@vanuatu.gov.vu

Richard MacEwen

Water Resources Advisor

Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources

Private Mail Bag 001

Port Vila, Vanuatu

E-mail: gmines@vanuatu.gov.vu

Links:

• Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources, National Government Department: http://www.sopac.org.fj/members/vu.html
• Government of Vanuatu: http://www.vanuatugovernment.gov.vu/ 
• Environment Unit of Vanuatu: http://www.biodiversity.com.vu/ 
• SOPAC: http://www.sopac.org 
• NIWA: http://www.niwa.cri.nz/
• Water Resources Management Act in December 2002: http://www.vanuatu.usp.ac.fj/Paclawmat/Vanuatu_legislation/English/2002/Water_Resources.html