Arab Republic of Egypt Ministry of Water Resources and ......Dawar, Kafr El Sheikh,..etc) and to...

Integrated Irrigation Improvement and Management Project (IIIMP) Environmental Assessment Study (EA)

Arab Republic of Egypt Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation

Planning Sector

Final EA Study Report -Part 1 –

Main Document

Submitted by

Misr Consult For

Environmental and Infrastructure Studies

January 2005

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MWRI-PS Final Report-Part 1 IIIMP EA Study

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Document Control

Project: Integrated Irrigation Improvement and Management Project Environmental Assessment (EA) Study

Document Title: Final EA Study Report – Part 1 Version -01-

Submission Date : January 9, 2004

Submitted to Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation -Planning Sector -

Client Project Coordinator:

Dr. Mohamed Abd El Khalik Head

Water Quality Management Unit (WQMU)

Document Submission Authorized By:

Dr. Sameh Abd El Gawad Chairman – Misr Consult

Document Compiled and Reviewed By:

Dr. Sherif El-Ramly EA Study – Team Leader


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Table of Contents

Acronyms and Abbreviations.................................................................................. 4

A. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 6

B. IIIMP Project Interventions ............................................................................... 6

C. Baseline Environmental Profile of the five Command Areas............................ 9

D. Potential Environmental Impacts of the IIIMP............................................... 10

E. Proposed Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) .................................... 21

F. Proposed Pest Management Plan...................................................................... 26

G. Environmental Component’s Institutional Arrangements ............................. 27

H. Environmental Component’s budget ............................................................... 31


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Acronyms and Abbreviations

BCWUA Branch Canal Water Users Association BTC Bahr Tanah Command Area DRI Drainage Research Institute EA Environmental Assessment EEAA Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency EMP Environmental Management Plan EPADP Egyptian Public Authority for Drainage Projects EU Environment Unit GAP Good Agricultural Practices GIS Geographic Information System GoE Government of Egypt GWS Ground Water Sector I&DS Irrigation and Drainage System(s) IAS Irrigation Advisory Services IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICID International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage IIIMP Integrated Irrigation Improvement and Management Project IIS Irrigation Improvement Sector IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management LU Local Units MALR Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation MCA Mahmoudia Command Area MED Mechanical and Electrical Department MHUUC Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities MoHP Ministry of Health and Population MOLD Ministry of Local Development MSEA Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs MWRI Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation MYC Meet Yazid Command Area NGOs Non Governmental Organizations NOPWASD National Organization for Potable Water and Sanitary Drainage NWRC National Water Research Center O&M Operation and Maintenance OP Operation Policy PC Popular Councils PCD Project Concept Document PMP Pest Management Plan PPSC Project Preparation and Steering Committee PS Planning Sector – Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation PT IIIMP - Preparation Study Team SCA Serry Command Area SWM Solid Waste Management TAC Tomas and Afia Command Area ToR Terms of Reference WB Water Board


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WQMU Water Quality Unit WUA Water Users Association WWT Waste Water Treatment


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A. Introduction

MisrConsult (the consultants) was contracted by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation’s (MWRI) Planning Sector (PS) to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) study for the Integrated Irrigation Improvement and Management Project (IIIMP). The EA includes the identification of IIIMP’s direct physical intervention’s potential impacts on the environment, proposing appropriate mitigation measures, preparation of a generic and a pilot area Environmental Management Plans (EMP) for the IIIMP as well as a Pest Management Plan (PMP), in accordance with the Terms of Reference (ToR) provided by the PS during the tendering process for the study. The EA study was performed by a team of experts during the period July 1st to September 15th. The study findings and recommendations has, since that date, been presented to, reviewed by, and discussed with the MWRI officials and the World Bank team. The final EA study report is delivered to the MWRI-PS to reflect the findings of the study and the main recommendations proposed by the consultants, integrating the outcome of the consultations and discussions with the MWRI officials as well as the World Bank team during the review period. The final EA Study report is submitted in two parts, namely:

�Part 1 - Main Document: which provides a concise presentation of the key EA study findings and recommendations (for ease of reference)

�Part 2 – Detailed Assessment Document: which presents the detailed information compile, environmental analysis and recommendations.

This ‘Main Document’ presents highlights of the study’s key findings and recommendations as relevant to: a.) the proposed IIIMP physical interventions in each command area, b.) the baseline environmental profile of each command area, including existing environmental challenges, c.) the key potential environmental impacts of the IIIMP (positive and negative) and the associated packages of mitigation measures, d.) the proposed EMP, e.) the proposed PMP, f.) institutional and organizational aspects of the environmental component, and g.) the proposed environmental component’s budget. For detailed accounting of the highlighted material, the consultants propose reference to the ‘Part 2’ documents.

B. IIIMP Project Interventions

The IIIMP is expected to implement a package of physical interventions that target the improvement of:

The irrigation system (in unimproved areas),

Rehabilitation of the surface and sub surface drainage (SSD) system,

Improve performance of the existing pumping station, and

Potentially construct a set of new intermediate re-use stations.


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These packages would be implemented (in various combinations) in five command areas, namely:

Mahmoudia Command Area (Behera Governorate),

Meet Yazid Command Area (Kafr El Sheikh and Gharbia Governorates),

Bahr Tanah Command Area (Dakahleya Governorate),

Serry Command Area (Minia Governorate), and

Ramady (Tomas and Afia) Command Area (Qena Governorate).

Figure 1: General Location Map for the IIIMP Five Command Areas Among the five command areas, almost 500 thousand feddans would be the focus for irrigation improvement, almost 44 thousand feddans of SSD rehabilitation, and potentially 28 new intermediate use stations would be established. The IIIMP’s first phase (first five years duration) would focus on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and improvements in two of the five command areas, specifically: Mahmoudia Command Area (situated within Behera Governorate), and Meet Yazid Command Area (situated within Kafr El Sheikh and Gharbiya


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Governorates). The conceptual interventions proposed by the Preparation Study Team1 are highlighted in the following table: IIIMP Technical Intervention Type

Mahmoudia Command Area

Meet Yazid Command Area

Irrigation - Main Canal Improvements

Km 0-16 widening and restoration of hydraulic flow capacity to 1979 design

Other Rehabilitation of banks and beds (20 kms)

Rehabilitation of banks and beds (20 kms)

Improving embankment between km 21.6 and km 26.6, to control seepage

Irrigation -Branch Canals Improvements

100 kms of rehabilitation

100 kms of rehabilitation

Tertiary System Improvements - Meska and Merwa- (raised sections or buried pipes including meska head pump)

145 thousand feddans 121 thousand feddans

Irrigation-Hydraulic Structures Improvements

New Cross regulator at km 16 including navigation lock

New Cross regulator at km 55

Rehabilitation of Mofti Regulator

Automation and rehabilitation of all regulators

Drainage – Surface Improvements

none Bank/ Cross section Rehabilitation of 60 kms of open drain

Covering 3 kms of open drains going through urban areas

New SSD – tiled and collectors

none none

SSD Rehabilitation 11000 feddans rehabilitations

3540 feddans rehabilitations

Drainage Interventions - Culverts

None none

1 A parallel study implemented by Sogreah Consultants, contracted by the MWRI (independent from but working in coordination with the EA study) to prepare the conceptual designs for the IIIMP project.


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Pump Stations Interventions -Irrigation

None None

Pump Stations Interventions -Drainage

Increase capacity

construction/civil works repairs

civil works repairs

Pump Stations-Mixing

Spare parts and construction works

None

Groundwater Interventions

None None

New Intermediate re-use mixing stations

10-12 re-use pump stations (each at a capacity of 2-3 m3/s)

6-8 re-use pump stations (each at a capacity of 2-3 m3/s)

C. Baseline Environmental Profile of the five Command Areas

With a view to assess the most likely impact of these intervention on the IIIMP’s target command areas, an environmental profile was prepared for each of these areas to establish a baseline understanding of the existing and prevalent physical, biological, and socio-economic conditions. In general, analysis of the existing environmental conditions in the five command areas reveals that:

The majority of the command areas are characterized as a mixture between peri-urban/rural environments.

All the areas demonstrate patterns of water shortage particularly during the summer season (ranging between 2-8% of total demand) based on the water balance prepared by the Preparation Study Team.

The majority of water channels within the areas are polluted as characterized by high counts of Total Coliform, BOD, and COD. The majority of which also suffer from soild waste and household sewage disposal.

The fresh water canals are also used for the supply of drinking water to major urban centers through potable water treatment plants (ex: Alexandria, Kafr El Dawar, Kafr El Sheikh,..etc) and to rural communities through compact potable water treatment units.

The drainage system in the delta ultimately discharges into the northern lakes, while the drainage system in Serry command area discharge into Bahr Youssef canal and the Nile River.

Drainage water is both officially (through various re-use pumping stations) and un-officially reused (by small pumps used by farmers situated at the tail-ends) in the five command areas.

Sub-surface water levels are relatively near the surface (1-3 meters) in the delta and ground water resources are highly exploited in the Serry and Tomas and Afia command areas.


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The delta command areas contain in-land fisheries (rice paddies and or drainage water fed fish farms) with the most important area being the northern region of Meet Yazid Command Area (covering 15% of the command area)

Biological diversity within the command areas is limited to that of rural environment biota (flora and fauna).

Industrial activity is limited within the command areas.

No cultural heritage sites of significance are affected by the project.

Human settlements are densely populated and highly clustered. A good portion of these are situated on the banks of canals and or drains.

All the command areas suffer from rural solid waste(average collection efficiency less than 20 % of the generated rural waste) and rural sewage mis-management , with the emphasis on the Delta command areas’ dire need for appropriate ultimate waste disposal locations (low cost and semi-controlled)

The major comparative indicators among the command areas are represented in the following table:

Indicator Mahmoudia Meet Yazid

Bahr Tanah

Serry Ramady (Tomas

and Afia)

Population Urban (‘000) 315 154 121.80 340.75 -

Population Rural (‘000) 1,086 940 388.45 1,550.20 4.7

sewage generation rate per rural inhabitant (liters per day per capita)

58 120 102 30 80

rural solid waste generation (rural waste volume generated in kg/cropped area in feddans)

1.36 3.35 3.25

3.23

N/A

Level of Income EGP/year/Rural Capita

4200 – 4800 4700-5300

4800-5700

3600-4200

4100

% of Population below poverty line

28.5% 9.6% 11.4% 35.8% 38.3%

D. Potential Environmental Impacts of the IIIMP

The EA study has assessed the construction and operation activities’ life cycle for each of the IIIMP’s proposed physical interventions, in each of the target command areas to identify potential impacts on the existing physical, biological, and socio-economic environment (both positive and negative). A potential set of positive and negative environmental impacts have been identified drawing on the experiences from:


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Evaluation and assessment of similar projects previously implement by the MWRI (including: IIP, NDPII, PSRPIII, …etc),

Experiences from similar projects funded by the world bank in other countries,

Compilation and review of existing and available data and information and assessment studies

Consultations with other donor supported projects implemented in Egypt

Meetings, interviews, and site visits with relevant MWRI and other line ministries’ officials as well as community stakeholders and local administration in the five command areas,

Pre-structured and collective Public consultation events organized and held in the five command areas, and

Modeling results of the Drainage Research Institute’s (DRI’s) SIWARE model.

In line with IWRM considerations of integrating the various environmental media in water resources management, the impacts identified were categorized as:

Direct Physical impacts of the proposed interventions on the natural/physical environment,

Social impacts, and

Human Induced Pressures (externalities), which covers environmental stresses induced by the existing population via domestic and economic activities.

Detailed analysis of and discussions on each of these impacts is reflected in the ‘Part 2 document’ of the final EA report. For easy reference, this section highlights the identified positive and negative impacts. D.1 Positive Impacts It is worth highlighting here that the environmental assessment reveals that the net environmental impacts of the proposed IIIMP’s interventions are ultimately positive, namely due to the facts that:

The project leads a new approach for targeting its interventions in accordance with the principals of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the five command areas, therefore enforcing a streamlined and enhanced vision for cooperation and coordination among the relevant entities (within and external to the MWRI). In that sense the project would target improvements in the installed irrigation and drainage system (I&DS), but will also address securing water demand needs for other purposes (potable water, industrial use, navigation use,…etc), enhancing the water quality in the I&DS.

Water availability and distribution equity improves among the agricultural fields (+ 10%) due to the introduction of improved irrigation practices, reduction in the losses throughout the system, transferring the operation and management of the tertiary system to the concerned community.

Expanded employment opportunities and economic stimulus ($ 150 million) during the project implementation and construction stages, in addition to


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stimulating community based initiatives to address solid waste and rural sewage mismanagement.

Reduction of subsurface water levels by improving the existing drainage system and increasing the efficiency of the consumptive water use.

Soil salinity reduction particularly due to better flushing of agricultural fields and reducing the reliance of unofficial drainage water use for irrigation at the canals’ tail-ends

Consequential crop increase ( +5-10%) and cultivation cost savings (-10%) due to the improved irrigation and drainage system adopted under the IIIMP

Higher levels of income (+ 15-20%) for the target communities due to the increased crop yield and involvement in the implementation, construction, and operation of the improved system.

The project will stimulate, initiate and support community based initiatives to manage the improved I&DS and to address any and all potential environmental concerns, leading to de-centralization and speeding up of the decision making and action taking process while minimizing the financial burdens on the governmental budget.

D.2 Negative Impacts A number of potential negative impacts may arise from the introduction of the proposed interventions (although varying in scope, scale, and magnitude depending on the project areas/sites and the scope and type of IIIMP interventions to be implemented in them). Among the potential negative impacts that were identified had included: D.2.1 Direct physical impacts (during construction and operation), key of which are:

From construction activities, which mainly lead to dust and particulate emissions; large volumes of construction and demolition/rehabilitation waste; increased traffic of heavy vehicles and construction equipment with various levels of air and noise pollution

Temporary channel flow diversions, mainly during construction / rehabilitation of locks and or head regulators. The diversions may potentially cause: damage to buried infrastructure near the diversion; obstruction of normal traffic flow; large accumulations of soil material; reduction in water flow rates.

Irrigation water disruptions, during the discourse of construction activities which may potentially cause crop damage

Potential reduction of drainage water volume, as a consequential effect of the reduced demand for irrigation water with the improved system (vicinity of 3-4%)

deterioration of water quality in: drains as a result of drainage volume and flow reduction, and in canals as a result of re-using drainage water by in-feeding the canals from drain,


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Potential yet very minor disturbance of the ecological balance of the northern lakes with particular relevance to the wet area and migratory birds, as a consequence of potential drainage water volume reduction and quality deterioration

Potential impairment of in-land fisheries (specifically for Meet Yazid Command Area), which largely depends on drainage water

Potential impairment of soil quality (at localized and contained locations) as a potential result from official re-use of drainage water, and the introduction of various intermediate re-use stations.

Accumulation of waste and consequential operational, environmental and health hazards arising from the mis-management of channel maintenance waste.

D.2.2 Social Impacts (during construction and operation), key of which are:

Discomfort and obstruction of normal daily operations, which are typically temporary but depend on the size and duration of the construction activities at individual sites.

Noise disturbance from pumping stations and meska head pumps (particularly for those situated within a vicinity of 100m radius of human concentrations).

Potential land expropriation, which would be needed for re-routed meskas (raised) and or new hydraulic structures or components of the improved system.

Crop damage as a result of construction activities, irrigation water disturbance during installations, and or failures in the implemented system during operation.

Health concerns, with prime emphasis on canal water used for drinking water purposes (to which drainage water has been fed by re-use pumping stations). But also with Secondary emphasis to the need to find an alternative for the discharge of domestic sewage (which farmers depended on open channels to dispose) that would be prohibited to the improved system.

Financial over burden, arising from the enforced collection of improvement costs to repay loans incurred by the Ministry, (especially that 50% of the farm holders in any command area manage 1 feddan or less)

Potential relocation (for a very minor number), of illegal canal bank and berm/back berm occupancy by the local community for residential and or economic purposes.

D.2.3 Residual Impacts, beyond the scope of the IIIMP, key of which are:

Increased agricultural waste (results from increased crop yield), as a consequence of improvements and benefits achieved by the project.

drainage water re-use, its impacts on irrigation water quality, and potential exportability of the delta products to the European Union (crops and fish), in


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line with new EU requirements for irrigation water source/quality (EUREPGAP and Traceability regulations)

water losses from the potable water network, and the burden this pose on the fresh water supply system

The increasing complexity of the improved system and the associated need for rapid and efficient monitoring, control, and maintenance to ensure reliable delivery of water to the various users.

D.2.4 Induced Human Pressures In addition, a number of Induced Human Pressures have been identified that may potentially contribute to the impairment of the water quality and compromising the operational integrity of the planned interventions including: Solid waste mis-management:

Accumulated wastes lead to myriad of operational (flow obstruction and pumping stations damage) and environmental/health problems (self incineration, rodents and snakes breeding, foul emissions), in addition to impacts on water quality.

Main impacts are caused by the direct disposal into canal/drain banks and stream from neighboring communities (22% of the volume generated).

Waste is mixed with manure and carcasses, in addition to empty pesticides and fertilizers containers.

direct result of the existing low collection efficiency that range between 2-20% of the generated volume

problem compounded by the absence of appropriate and near sites to be used as ultimate disposal sites for the collected waste

Rural sewage mis-management:

Main impacts are caused by the disposal of non-treated sewage to water channels (both canals and drains), leading to the impairment of the water quality.

Caused as a direct result of the absence of an appropriate sewage collection system.

Modality of disposal is through direct pipe connections from individual households to channels (8% of effluent discharged), but 80% of the effluent is discharged (illegally) to channels by vacuum trucks (collecting sewage from storage trenches) operated by NGOs.

For households not discharging to water channels, it is disposed to open fields; streets; or injected to the ground. Leading to rise of sub-surface water levels (impacting foundations and structural integrity of houses and other built structures), in addition to health hazards.

intentional irrigation and drainage system damage by farmers:

Resorted To for the purpose of disposing their wastes (solid and sewage), obtaining more water in time of shortage, and theft.

Several damage modality exist such as: blocking meska gates, illegal withdrawal from drains, blocking SSD hoses/pipes to raise water level,…etc.


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existing agricultural practices

Mainly arising from the current application rates and handling of pesticides, fertilizers, and manure application.

Leads to deterioration of water quality (canals and drains) and other health hazards.

Industrial effluents

Most of which occurring outside the boundaries of the five targeted command areas.

Mostly generated by large publicly owned facilities. Hot spot areas of concern within the IIIMP project area are

El Mex and El Tabia, Kafr El Dawar, Mahmoudia City (Mahmoudia Command Area), and Kafr El Sheikh City (Meet Yazid Command Area).

D.3 Proposed Mitigation Measures With due consideration to the identified impacts, a set of mitigation measures were identified to address specific negative impacts that may arise from every proposed IIIIMP intervention (please refer to ‘Part 2’ of the Final Report for detailed discussion). For ease of presentation, the mitigation measures have been classified in packages to address the main categories of impacts (Direct Physical, Social, and Induced Human Pressure impacts), key of which included: D.3.1 Measures to mitigate direct impacts, (during construction and operation) key of which include:

Measures during pre-construction stages of every project, with the intention of diligently minimizing any potential impacts either during construction and or operational stages for each and every individual project within the IIIMP (on a site specific, project by project basis). The proposed measures had specifically included: careful project design assumptions/criteria validation and implementation planning, rigorous consultations with the local community/other official stakeholders on the designs and implementation plans, performing environmental site reviews and obtaining EEAA approvals on them for every project (as needed) prior to construction work, and finally monitoring the contractor’s environmental performance during construction.

Measures to mitigate construction impacts, through enforcing environmental performance standards covered under each (project specific) contract with awarded contractor. These standards specifically include: control of noise-dust-emissions, material transport modalities, construction waste management, site restoration requirements …etc.

Measures for drainage water treatment, in the event that drainage water re-use and intermediate re-use will be continued in the future to close water shortages. Most promising/cost effective of which is the in-stream treatment system that would be appropriate for tertiary drains.

Measures for Channel Maintenance Waste Management, relying on community based initiatives (for implementation, operation, and funding). The measures specifically included: expanded use of grass carp as a biological means to reduce weeds, reduction of waste disposal volume at the source (by


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introducing cost effective collection from households), provision of appropriate collection vehicles during maintenance activities, recycling (to extent possible) removed maintenance waste, preparation of an appropriate ultimate disposal site, protecting key structures-channels-and stations by installing finer bar screens, using appropriate protective clothing and manual handling tools.

Recommendations for periodic inspection and maintenance of system functionality to ensure availability and reliability of the installed system to avoid water delivery disruptions.

Environmental Assessment (in-depth) of the potential impacts of drainage water re-use and intermediate re-use on the biological integrity of the Northern lakes (to be conducted during the inception phase of the IIIMP), with a view to determine how far the lakes can sustain it biological diversity and integrity under conditions of reduced drainage volume and potentially reduced water quality (if occurring). The objective of the study would be to determine the safe reductions in the drainage volume ultimately disposed to the northern lakes, while still sustaining its integrity.

D.3.2 Measures to minimize social impacts, including:

Prior Notifications prior to commencement of construction activities, irrigation water disruptions, and or other activities that may affect the local communities’ daily domestic/economic life.

Damage and Expropriation Compensation for affected population, to be improved and speeded up to ensure affected parties receive due compensation in a comfortable and timely manner.

Mechanism for Complaints, to ensure that dis-advantaged and or dissatisfied beneficiaries/ local community members would have a venue to raise and resolve their problems in a timely manner. This mechanism would also fit into improving the standardized operating procedures of the IIIMP as a whole.

For major construction sites in congested areas, traffic re-routed to be well effected prior to construction activities.

Evaluating relocation needs for every project, and preparing a relocation action plan (as needed) for affected individuals (albeit, in most events will be illegal occupants of canal banks/berms that would require renovations).

A Relocation Action Plan for illegal occupants of the Mahmoudia Canal between km0 - km15, in preparation for its restoration to 1979 cross section designs.

Installing silencers and noise dampers on noisy pumping stations and meska head pumps situated with a radius of 100 meters of human concentrations.

D.3.3 Measures to address key externalities, including:

Establishing a pilot semi-controlled landfill in the EEEAA designated area for Behera Governorate, to serve the Mahmoudia Command Area (for


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demolition/construction waste, channel maintenance waste, and other collected solid waste ultimate disposal), in conjunction with establishing three pilot intermediate transfer stations (one per each Markaz of Mahmoudia command Area) to compensate for the large distance needed between the command area and the disposal site (60 kms in average)

Cost effective, labor intensive, low cost technology system for the collection of the generated household wastes from rural concentrations of 40 thousand inhabitants or more. The proposed system has been previously implemented and tested in Egypt with good success and sustainability results. The collection cost of the proposed system is in the vicinity of 50 -60 EGP per ton, which would enable cost recovery from rural households at acceptable fees of 1.5-2 EGP/household per month.

Cost effective, low cost technology system for the collection and primary treatment of rural domestic sewage with options for organized ultimate disposal either directly to open drains (post treatment) or through monitored/controlled collection/discharge by vacuum trucks.

Mechanism for initiating community based initiatives (potentially thorugh WBs, BCWUAs, NGOs, CDAs) to implement and operate the proposed packages to address solid waste and rural sewage mis-management. To ensure their sustainability, such mechanisms would require: technical backstopping to plan and start-up the operations (suggested to provided via the IIIMP’s environmental component), seed capital (as soft loans) to establish the operations and procure equipment/tools (suggested to be provided through a revolving fund organized by the IIIMP environmental component however financed through local and international donor support), appropriate service fees and collection mechanism to be enforced on serviced households to permit the recovery of the operational costs of the system (suggested to be enforced by the relevant Local Popular Councils in coordination with the relevant governorates’ executive councils and the IIIMP environmental component).

D.3.4 Other Supporting Mitigation Measures Under the EMP Those measures would ensure the optimal identification and implementation of mitigation measures that may be needed to address environmental challenges within the IIIMP command areas as they arise. Such measures namely include: Environmental monitoring, environmental training and capacity building for relevant stakeholders, environmental reporting and information exchange, environmental coordination, …etc (Please review section E1). D.4 Prioritization of Mitigation Measures The applicability/need of specific mitigation measures for potential impacts of any of the IIIMP’s interventions is dependent on:

the nature of the technical intervention itself, on project by project basis the location where it would be implemented and the baseline environmental

characteristics of that location, and


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Consequentially the magnitude of the environmental impact that the mitigation measure is intended to address.

However, at this early stage of the project, the consultants believe that some of the mitigation measures would rank higher in terms of implementation priority than others (meaning they would receive more attention) during the implementation of the IIIMP’s environmental component. To prioritize (identify and highlight) these mitigation measures, the consultants scored the importance of the various proposed mitigation measures in relation to the following criteria:

Availability of Funds: The presence of funds to finance the implementation of a mitigation measure is an essential pre-requisite for its implementation.

Potential Involvement of Target Area Community / Society:

The sustainability of some of the proposed mitigation measures would necessitate involvement and or support/acceptance of the local communities

Availability of low cost technology: For some of the mitigation measures, cost recovery would be essential either through service fees directly collected to cover the capital investment or operational costs, or to be added to the loan repayment mechanisms for the improvement project (that will be collected from the farm holders). For this recovery to be possible (given the prevalent level of income of the beneficiary communities in the five command areas) the mitigation measure should be implemented with a low cost technology

Decentralized Operation and Management: In the spirit of IWRM, decentralization is considered as a major milestone in ensuring the rapid and efficient management of implemented systems.

Level of Institutional Coordination: Experience in implementing previous MWRI projects indicate that the higher the level of institutional coordination needed for implementing a mitigation measure, the more time consuming and less ownership/sustainability for the measure.

The selection of scoring criteria and assigning a scoring scale to them had intended in the first place to assess which of the mitigation measures would most probably be more promising to pursue. The outcome of this scoring exercise is reflected in Table 1. The scoring process of the various mitigation measures reveals that some mitigation measures are higher in rank and priority than others. Although this scoring is not intended to reflect the actual priority of each measure in relation to its importance to resolve the original environmental impact it is intended to address (as previously discussed), yet it provides a guideline as to which mitigation measures would most likely be favorable for implementation considering that their undertaking would have a stronger probability for success and higher potential for sustainability in achieving benefit to the community at large (within which these measures would be implemented).

Table 1: Scoring results for the various mitigation measures proposed


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Availability of Funds

Potential Involveme

nt of Target Area

Community / Society

Availability of low cost technology

Decentralized Operation

and Management

Level of Institutiona

lCoordinati

on

Total Score

Measures for Direct Physical Impacts Mitigation of Construction Impacts

�Designs Validation and Implementation Planning

3 2 3 3 2 13

�Consultations 3 2 3 3 1 12 �Environmental Site Reviews

3 3 3 3 2 14

�Construction Management (Activities and Waste)

1 0 3 2 1 7

�Contractor environmental monitoring

3 2 3 3 2 13

Mitigation of Operational and Maintenance Impacts �Drainage Water Treatment

0 1 1 1 2 5

�Inspection and Periodic Maintenance of the I&DS Components

1 1 3 2 1 8

�Channel Maintenance Waste Management

2 1 0 2 1 6

�Environmental Assessment of Expanded Re-Use and Intermediate Re-use on Northern Lakes Ecosystem

3 0 3 3 0 9

Measures for Social Impacts


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Potential Involveme

nt of Target Area

Community / Society



and Management


lCoordinati

on

Total Score

�Prior Notifications

3 3 3 3 2 14

�Damage and Expropriation Compensation

3 2 3 3 2 13

�Mechanism for Complaints

3 3 3 3 2 14

Measures for Human Induced Pressures (Externalities) through Community Based Initiatives and Revolving Fund

�Establishment of Pilot Semi-controlled Landfill and Transfer Stations (recommended for Mahmoudia Command Area)

3 3 2 2 1 11

�Solid Waste Management (collection, transport to and storage in transfer stations) for human concentrations with average of 40-50 thousand inhabitants or more

2 2 2 2 2 10

�Rural Sewage Management

2 2 2 2 2 10

Other Externalities �Industrial 0 0 1 0 0 1


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Potential Involveme

nt of Target Area

Community / Society



and Management


lCoordinati

on

Total Score

Wastewater discharge

Other EA Proposed Mitigation Measures �Awareness Building

3 3 3 2 2 13

�Environmental Monitoring

3 0 3 2 2 10

�Training and Capacity Building

3 0 3 3 1 10

�Pilot Area EMP

3 3 3 3 1 13

�PMP 3 1 0 2 2 8

E. Proposed Environmental Management Plans (EMPs)

The actual identification of the IIIMP’s physical interventions on the environment and the corresponding need for any of the proposed mitigation packages is subject to how severe the impact may be in the future (which would mainly depend on the scope, location and size of each and every project implemented under the IIIMP). At this early conceptual stage of the project, there are many unknowns to establish with certainty what the magnitude of the various impacts would be (on cumulative and long term basis) and accordingly how far the mitigation measures would really need to go. As such, the consultants have intended to develop the project’s EMP with a view to ensure that IIIMP’s environmental component would be proactive and highly harmonized in the early analysis and identification of potential environmental contingencies within the project areas prior to construction activities, and to further have the capacity to detect (early in time) any potential negative environmental consequences that may occur as a result of the implemented interventions (even if not detected prior to construction) and to address such consequences in a timely and effective manner. Such environmental consequences could originate from either the project’s construction/operational activities or from human induced pressures within (or in the vicinity of) the hydrological basin, whose integrated water resources have been improved under the project.

E.1 Generic EMP


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A generic Environmental Management Plan (EMP) was prepared as a road map to guide the activities of the proposed environmental component that would be administered by the Water Quality Management Unit (WQMU). The EMP includes:

E.1.1 Description of a monitoring program that would address:

Environmental performance monitoring (in cooperation with existing sources of information and the MWRI’s various laboratories). The package of environmental monitoring indicators for each command area (including measurement locations and frequencies) suggested would focus on:

o Water quality monitoring for various uses such as irrigation, fish farming, drinking water, grass carp health, and conservation of public health. These aspects are including irrigation water from main and branch canals, drainage water (with emphasis on drainage water quality for intermediate re-use) and groundwater quality in sensitive (vulnerable) areas,

o Soil quality monitoring from representative sites within the whole command area (with emphasis on sites within intermediate re-use basins)

o Fish ecology with particular reference to the Northern Lakes’ fisheries, fish farms, Rice Paddies, and Grass Carp distribution.

o Subsurface water level and pumping station delivery and suction water levels and qualities

o Air emissions from larger pumping stations (in the event these stations are not electrified as proposed by the IIIMP preparation team)

Other monitoring aspects include: Contractor performance monitoring to ensure compliance with environmental performance standards; Environmental monitoring for the IIIMP relevant stakeholder contribution/performance; and a self monitoring dimension for the internal functions of the WQMU.

E.1.2 A proposed internal restructuring for the WQMU:

to handle its originally mandated tasks as well as the new responsibilities and tasks under the IIIMP

The restructuring would be performed during the IIIMP duration and institutionalized for sustainable continuity post IIIMP, to benefit from the environmental experiences gained by the unit during the IIIMP

Further highlights provided in section G.3 and in Part 2 Document

E.1.3 A proposed training program that:

would build the environmental capacity of the various IIIMP stakeholders to effectively administer the environmental component and ensure conservation of the existing environment within the target command areas.

Features modules for environmental management, environmental monitoring, general managerial and communications skills development, and other technical aspects and management aspects.


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The training program is proposed for the WQMU staff on one level and for other relevant stakeholders on the other (including the identified relevant MWRI stakeholders, other ministries, and command area based stakeholders.)

Training modules have also included other topics to cover the identification and handling of rural solid waste and rural sewage management.

E.1.4 A capacity building approach for the WQMU including: Human resources and staffing development plan, physical capacity building recommendations, and technical assistance by experts in relevant fields. E.1.5 Recommandations for environnemental aspects of IIIMP projects’ contacts: Some of the proposed mitigation measures require contractual obligations to be fulfilled by the IIIMP contractors. The environmental site reviews would be able to identify appropriate measures that the contractor would need to make to ensure minimum damage is caused by the construction activities. Among these contractual obligations could include:

Clause on applying waste management systems in accordance with local regulations

Clause that they accept auditing from the WQMU throughout implementation Clause that the have read and will abide with environmental reviews Clause that they will to the extent possible, minimize impacts on society from

construction Clause that they will apply best construction management practices Etc…

E.1.6 Guidelines for periodic reporting and dissemination of experience gained and lessons learned during the implementation of the project Including inception stage reporting, annual reports, project performance reports, activity documentations, GIS system, Environmental registers, Database management system for each ‘site specific project’ from project start to inception, and a WQMU web site. E.1.7 A public awareness programme: for the general and specific publics in cooperation with the local communities, to harness support to community based initiatives and prevent negative environmental conduct contributing to the deterioration of the quality of water.

Awareness raising for the general and specific publics within the command areas could be realized through the following activities:

Meeting with the representatives of the local media aiming at involving them in the envisaged public awareness campaign and introducing the services and outputs of the environmental component in addition to the specific messages envisaged to be directed to the public to change the attitudes and to motivate more public participation in environmental conservation.

The production of TV and Radio spots transferring the messages to the public regularly (general and specific publics)


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Holding live programs between the managers of the project and the public on local Radio and TV aiming at the creation of a regular link between the project and its beneficiaries. Another aim is to get a continuous feed back from the public regarding the service provided.

Motivating women to play a leading role in positive participation in changing attitudes (since women are the main responsible family member in rural households).

Placing posters about conservation measures needed at different spots on the banks of canals and drains

Holding specific campaigns to maximize the benefits of specific activities of the project. Examples of specific campaigns include:

i. Campaign to combat insects, rodents and other pests

ii. Cleaning weeks campaigns moving from one Markaz to the other (among the heavily polluted ones)

iii. The “environmental week “ campaigns moving from one village to another (among the heavily polluted ones)

iv. General do and do not campaign for the general public aiming at reaching conformity and participation in any community based initiatives

v. Specific do and do not campaign for specific target groups polluting or generating specific types of waste (factories, workshops, farmers etc)

vi. Holding competitions in cleanliness and hygiene among streets and neighborhoods

vii. Campaign for the orientation of religious leaders about the need for environmental conservation and community initiatives in order to motivate the mosques and churches goers to participate in the project

E.1.8 Modes of operation for the unit: Featuring a standardized work cycle adapted to the IIIMP project (please refer to Fig 2).


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Prepare Detailed Designs

Tender Out the Project

Award and Sign the Contract

Construction

Commissioning and Handing Over

Operation and Maintenance

IIIMPGeneric Project Cycle

Environmental ManagementGeneric Cycle

Validate Assumption and

Criteria

Hold Field Engineers and

WUA Consultations

Prepare Environmental Site Review

Prepare Tender Document

Include Environmental

Clauses

Obtain Clearance from WQU

Subject to EEAA Approval (if

needed)

Contractor Environmental Performance

Auditing

Periodic Monitoring

Public Awarness

Coordination for External Threats

Planning and Mobilization of

Community Based Initiatives

Documentation and Re-

Engineering

Experience Gaining and Evaluation

Periodic Reporting and Dissemination

Implement –Supervise

Mitigation Needs

Ensure Site Restoration

Figure 2: Proposed work cycle for the WQMU in conjunction with the IIIMP’s individual project by project basis interventions’ cycle


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E.2 Pilot Area EMP As a demonstration for the application of the generic plan, a pilot area was selected, in cooperation with the MWRI, in Mahmoudia Command Area (that was least polluted and which will fall under the IIIMP interventions) for which a pilot area EMP was prepared. Considering the expansive distribution and size of the proposed areas, the selection was conducted as a two stage process, namely: stage one scoping to a single command area, stage two selections of potential sites in the selected command area. The analysis and scoping had relied on GIS analysis of compiled data and information, based on pre-defined selection/scoping criteria. The exercise has lead to the selection of El-hakeem branch canal and Sawakee El-Hadeed Branch canal. The following table shows the physical characteristics of the two branch canals.

Upon selection, an environmental site review and household survey was conducted by the consultants to identify the existing environmental conditions, most-likely IIIMP project interventions, potential negative impacts, and accordingly development of a set of mitigation measures. The EMP developed for the area included:

A recommendation for a site specific environmental monitoring program Recommendations for removal of existing violations Proposed mechanisms to address solid waste and rural sewage problems An implementation plan for pilot area EMP

F. Proposed Pest Management Plan

Pest Management Plan was prepared as an attempt to control potential contamination of drainage water. The plan addresses a mechanism to phase out the use of toxic pesticides to environmentally friendly Integrated Pest Management techniques based on the prevalent cultivation patterns in each command area. The PMP is recommended as a step-wise procedure that would be initiated at the inception of IIIMP, progress in a logical fashion to eventually cover the entire command areas targeted in phase 1. The plan includes proposals for:

Formation of a working group of relevant stakeholders to coordinate, plan and implement the PMP in the target priority command areas

Number of Mesqas

BC From

MahmoudiaCanal at

Length(km)

Area Served from

right from Left

Serving Drain

Sawakee Elhadeed

1.400 km right bank

5.625 3460 10 2 Kafr Emleette Drain

Elhakeem 11.900 km right bank

2.56 1329 2 2 Edku Drain


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Immediate call for phasing out of toxic pesticides with LD50 of 200mg/kg body weight) or less

Establishment of 2 testing farming, one per priority command area (each of 5 feddans) to apply and demonstrate the shift from conventional pesticides use to IPM alternatives

Capacity building and training on IPM for target and relevant stakeholders within the target command areas

Awareness building among farmers on hazards of conventional pesticides and their use and the advantages and techniques for shifting to alternative IPM mechanisms.

Recommended IPM mechanism for each crop, its application rate, and tentative budget.

Proposing environmentally acceptable handling procedures for toxic pesticides (during the intermediate phasing out period).

G. Environmental Component’s Institutional and Organizational Arrangements

The IIIMP’s environmental component’s tasks are multidisciplinary spanning a wide geographical area. As such, the major factor that would the success and sustainability of the environmental aspects of the IIIMP is the deployment of a strong management structure of the component under the IIIMP’s overall implementation arrangements. Experience with the MWRI’s previous projects reveal that temporary environmental units may not be the most effective mechanism to administer environmental interventions (given their cross cutting and multidisciplinary nature requiring intensive coordination with various stakeholders). As such the consultants are strongly proposing that implementation of the environmental component would be entrusted to the currently existing and institutionalized Water Quality Unit of the MWRI. As a starting point, the consultants strongly suggest that the WQMU would consolidate all the existing environmental management activities within the MWRI as a whole (not just water quality management). The aim of this suggestion is to ensure that all environmental activities (for all the MWRI departments and sectors) are well planned, controlled, monitored and coordinated in line with IWRM requirements. This would necessitate that the individual EUs established under the various MWRI sectors / departments (ex: IIS-EU, EPADP-EU, MED-EU), would all be integrated into the WQMU.

This arrangement would ensure that the environmental experience, resources, and coordination links gained during the IIIMP implementation would potentially (and sustainably) stay intact post IIIMP and possibly be adopted and implemented nation wide, and for all the MWRI’s future IWRM projects.


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G.1 WQMU Tasks and ResponsibilitiesIn addition to its currently mandated responsibilities, the WQMU will be required to further perform the following tasks under the IIIMP:

Assessing the IIIMP site specific intervention’s potential impacts on the prevalent environmental and socio-economic conditions (on a project by project basis) by performing environmental site reviews

Developing, implementing and supervising necessary mitigation measures (for impacts identified during the site specific environmental site reviews) on project by project basis;

Monitoring water and soil quality for integrated irrigation and drainage in the five command areas; before and after IIIMP interventions

Strengthening the environmental capacity of the IIIMP project stakeholders and associated organizations and groups through environmental training and environmental technical backstopping;

Coordinating the necessary environmental activities/needs between the project and the different MWRI stakeholders, other key agencies and ministries, and the Localities in each command area (Governorate Executive Councils, Local Units, Popular Councils, WB, BCWUAs, WUAs)… etc. to ensure success and sustainability of the environmental tasks

Identification and development of projects and investments to resolve external sources of pollution affecting quality of water in the target command areas, e.g. solid waste management, industrial pollution, and rural sewage.

Promoting and influencing implementation of the developed projects via coordination and linkages with interested local and international funding agencies existing in Egypt above and beyond the world bank, such as: Environmental Initiatives Fund, SFD, ORDEV (Shrouk Programme), USAID, KfW/GtZ, UNDP, UNICEF, Italian Cooperation, Egyptian Swiss Fund for Development, the European Union mission in Egypt .. etc

G.2 Institutional ArrangementsDuring the project implementation, the WQMU is perceived to fit under the IIIMP’s Project Steering Committee -PSC (or the Project Management Unit - PMU) and that the WQMU director would be a member of the PSC. In addition, the WQMU would also have representative field officers under each of the various Regional Management Units/committees -RMU to supervise and coordinate site specific field work in each command area. It consultants anticipate that the WQMU would eventually have acquired sufficient environmental capacity and resources, by the end of the IIIMP, that would allow it to be transformed into a Central Department for Water Quality and Environmental Management Reporting directly to H.E Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, with institutionalized coordination and communication mechanisms among the various MWRI departments and sectors. It is also envisioned that the established Central Department would have representatives in each of the irrigation directorates (Integrated Water Resources Management District IWRMD) in the five command areas executing the roles and responsibilities of the unit of the


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project area level. This representation would eventually be scaled up and adopted nation wide (however, in a sequential and time phased manner). G.3 Administrative Organization for the WQMUBased on the proposed functions and responsibilities of the Water Quality Unit (WQMU) and the nature of its expected responsibilities under the IIIMP, an organizational structure is proposed for the unit involving five main departments and ten subsidiary divisions (each having a clear mandate and designated responsibilities) to manage the various functions and activities of the environmental component. The proposed structure contains two managerial levels and three execution levels as follows:

First managerial level, the General Manager of the unit Managerial LevelsSecond managerial level, the heads of departments First execution level, heads of the divisions Specialists

Execution Levels

Third execution level, technicians and administrative staff

G.4 Coordination with Relevant Stake Holders (other MWRI departments and beyond)Due to the need for involvement of various and relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the environmental component, at this early stage, the main responsibilities for each group of relevant participating stakeholders and the associated coordination mechanisms with the WQMU are proposed as follows: Designated Participant

Main Roles and responsibilities

Means of Coordination

Other MWRI Sectors/Affiliates

Provide designs for IIIMP various projects to WQMU

Consult with beneficiaries on design and validate assumptions (from an environmental point of view)

Coordinate tendering and contracting and Implementation for each project with WQMU

Provide monitoring data as needed

Provide sample analysis as agreed

At the strategic level through membership of the WQMU Director in the IIIMP-PSC

At the field level by assigning WQMU field officers within the IIIMP - Regional Management Unit

On the operational level by conditioning site specific project work initiation (during tendering) to completion of the WQMU’s environmental site review and approval of the EEAA on it.

Other Ministries/Agencies: MoLD

Joint coordination for the implementation of environmental projects (ex: landfill site,

At the strategic level, H.E Minister of Water Resources signing individual cooperation


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MoHP MHUUC MoALR EEAA

intermediate transfer stations, Pest management,…etc)

Provide site specific data and information periodically

Provide custom sample analysis as agreed

Enforce laws under their mandate

Participate in formulating a common policy for water quality management

protocols with each relevant Ministry / Agency clearly stipulating cooperation requirements, tasks and implementation modality

At the operation level, each designated ministry /agency will nominate and assign its representative to be seconded to the WQMU (and be assigned to the relevant department within the WQMU). The nominated representative will be responsible for implementing the signed protocol and coordinate responsibilities with his/her Ministry

Command Area Based Stakeholders: Governorate

Executive Councils,

Local Units, Local Popular

Councils WBs, BCWUA, WUA,

NGOs, CDAs.

Enforce an obligatory service charge to cover fees for projects set up through community based initiatives

Support the WQMU in lobbying with line ministries for addressing violations and strengthening enforcement

Assist in community awareness building

Assist in profiling the project area during environmental site reviews

Participate in initiating community based initiatives

Participating in identifying and reporting violations to environmental laws

Via the WQMU field officers (stationed in the Regional Management Unit)

Funding bodies (above and beyond the World Bank)

Provide grants for soft support to community based initiatives

Through formation of a Task Force constituting a permanent employee


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Provide long term low interest bearing loans (soft loans) to community based initiatives to start up needed interventions

Potentially, participate in setting up a revolving fund to administer the loans.

Coordinate environmental interventions these funds are already implementing in the target command areas with the IIIMP’s environmental component

of the WQMU (reporting directly to the WQMU director) and nominated representatives from the various funds. Projects would be presented and promoted through regular and periodic meetings.

H. Environmental Component’s budget

It is understood by the consultants that the environmental component of the IIIMP is intended to only fund soft interventions. These soft interventions will be implemented within the Mahmoudia and Meet Yazid command areas during the IIIMP’s first five years. The proposed budget covers the following line items:

EMP Component Totals (EGP ‘000)

Monitoring Program Costs 9,300.00Training 1,374.00Physical Capacity Building 1,801.00Technical Backstopping 4,000.00Coordination With Stakeholders 1,000.00Public Awareness 1,200.00Reporting 500.00Pest Management Plan Implementation

1,500.00

In-situ sampling and analysis equipment

300.00

Contingencies 500.00Total 21,475

In addition to these soft interventions estimated to cost a total of 21.5 EGP million (equivalent to 3.5 dollars million), the ministry may also choose to participate in the establishment of a semi-controlled landfill at Badr City to serve Mahmoudia Command Area as a pilot demonstration project (to be used for final disposal of construction and demolition waste and channel maintenance waste). The estimated budget for the semi-controlled landfill is around EGP 6.5 million (almost $1 million). In addition to the landfill, it will be necessary to establish 3 intermediate transfer


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stations within the three Marakez of Mahmoudia Command Area (Mahmoudia, Abu Hummous, and Kafr El Dawar Markaz) at an estimated cost of EGP 3.5 million ( $ 0.6 million). This would bring the total estimated cost for the hardware interventions to EGP 10 million ($1.6 million).


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