Argentina proposes US$570mn project to deal with flooding

Argentina's federal government is proposing to install a drainage pipe network to deviate excess water from La Picasa lagoon in Santa Fe province to the Paraná river, said hydrological resources undersecretary Pablo Bereciartúa.

The move is in response to floods caused by the increasing levels of the lagoon that affect Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Córdoba provinces.

The initiative would cost 10bn pesos (US$570mn), and the central government would provide 70% of the resources, Bereciartúa was quoted as saying by daily La Nación.

The issue has led to a jurisdictional dispute between the three provinces over which is responsible for dealing with the problem. It was the subject of a public hearing in the supreme court with representatives from the three provinces and the federal government discussing possible solutions to the floods caused by the lagoon, which has increased dramatically in size.

An August report from state research center CONICET revealed that during the last 40 years the lagoon expanded from 2,500ha to 40,000ha.