This week's Photo of the Week is of a dramatic lightning storm over Volcán Tolimán and was taken this past week by Elaine Beal from Santa Cruz la Laguna.
If you have any photos you would like to submit for Photo of the Week, please let me know through the Contact Form. Photos of the Week can be anything related to the Lake Atitlán area.
View the Photos of the Week archive at: http://santacruzlalaguna.weebly.com/photos.html
- 18 July, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Women's Paca Treasure Swap VIII, Restaurant Hana in Casa Cakchiquel, Calle Febrero, Panajachel (see details below)
- 20 July, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Open Artist Studio, Calle Salpores 0-16, Jucanya, Panajachel (see details below)
http://ev-cal.com/fb/106177
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Tired of all those paca clothes laying around you no longer wear. Swap them out! Bring clothes, shoes, accessories you no longer want to exchange for other peoples awesome paca finds. Upgrade your wardrobe and have some fun. Feel free to bring a friend along. Don't be late!!! 20Q Sake 1:30-3:30pm!
Oh! Sake!
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Deva Nirguna - paintings & prints and Prema Jennifer ~ Deva Prema Designs - with jewelry (including a sample sale & closeouts at great prices) @ our house on Calle Salpores 0-16 , Jucanya, Panajachel.......call for directions if you need them ~ 5383-1588. Hope to see you here !
EXPORTING WASTEWATER FROM ATITLÁN
On Thursday, July 10, a Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan for the Lake Atitlán basin was presented at a press conference. AMSCLAE is leading and aiding with this initiative along with experts in the field from around the world including the scientists who worked on cleaning up Lake Tahoe.
Alberto Rivera Gutierrez, owner of Hotel Atitlan and Reserva Natural Atitlán and associated with the group Todos por el Lago, reported the following (first in a Google Translated version and second in the original Spanish version).
I asked Sr. Rivera why the area between San Jorge and San Marcos was not included, but have not gotten a response as yet. Maps and documents follow the text.
ENGLISH VERSION
There is progress in the fundamental solutions to the pollution of the lake. On Thursday the terms of reference are presented to the preparatory study for the export of waste water out of the basin Atitlan. This proposal includes the purification of water users in the basin. By achieving this we can focus on other projects such as erosion control.
And to give impetus to this initiative, yesterday there was a press conference to present the Comprehensive Plan wastewater management Atitlán basin. Today some reviews appeared in newspapers (3 page elPeriódico). However, it pays to know more about the plan and be careful to keep our goal clear and firm.
In this sense, the support and clarity to know and talk about the comprehensive wastewater management Atitlán basin will have a great impact on the future of the lake. Here are some highlights of the project worthwhile to present.
The project responds to the urgent recommendation of scientists to be not a drop more or download sewage into the lake.
SOLUTIONS
1) treatment plants in the towns of Lake U $ 44.1 million (and if they work should not discharge the water in the lake).
Treatment plants should NOT download the treated water to the lake because they contain nitrogen and phosphorus. Therefore it is no solution
Operation and maintenance U.S. $ 23.2
We are all aware that most of the treatment plants do not work or work halfway. For mayors usually a headache and a terrible hole in the city budget. In the new plant Panajachel The Onion does not work with the filter to match it has a very high additional cost and is also malfunctioning. The operation and maintenance cost is above the Q100 thousand monthly. And if it worked perfectly, downloads SHOULD NOT GO TO THE LAKE. That is, it is absurd.
2) Export sewage (black) - Cost U.S. $ 29.6 million
Exports the water out of the basin through a manifold
Generates electricity (water and methane) for the entire system and is surplus
Treated sewage
Reuse treated wastewater in agriculture (not to pollute the rivers)
Operation and maintenance instructions U.S. $ 15.4
There is a move worth noting to choose which option is best and this is the cost / net present value. This is a method to evaluate and choose between different investment projects available for a long term project. Basically it is to measure the inputs and outflows of each of the options in this case
the maintenance and operation of treatment plants (outputs) 2036 2016 to U $ 67.4 million
the maintenance and operation of the export of water (outputs) and power generation, agriculture and refused carbon (entries) 2036 2016 to U $ 1.4 million
This allows us to evaluate the improvement projects to choose option. Treatment plants cost 48 times more and do not serve
Bottom part of the presentation of Dr Stewart Oakley, University of California who supported his graduate students, has advanced the feasibility of exporting water out of the basin.
The map shows that electricity is generated at various points in the basin (two near Solola, 1 in San Jorge, Concepcion 1, 1 and 2 San Andrés Semetabaj outside the basin - one with methane gas produced in oxidation ponds to treat wastewater).
Regards
Alberto Rivera Gutierrez
Todos por el Lago
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SPANISH VERSION
Hay avances en las soluciones de fondo para la contaminación del lago. El jueves se presentan los términos de referencia para hacer el estudio preparatorio para la exportación de aguas residuales fuera de la cuenca de Atitlán. Esta propuesta incluye la potabilización de agua para los usuarios de la cuenca. Al lograr esto podremos enfocarnos en otros proyectos como el control de erosión.
Y para darle impulso a esta iniciativa, ayer hubo una rueda de prensa para dar a conocer el Plan de manejo integral de aguas residuales de la cuenca de Atitlán. Hoy aparecieron algunas reseñas en los periódicos (3 pagina elPeriódico). Sin embargo, vale la pena conocer más sobre el plan y estar atentos para mantener claro y firme nuestro objetivo.
En ese sentido, el apoyo y la claridad con que conozcamos y hablemos del manejo integral de aguas residuales de la cuenca de Atitlán tendrá un gran impacto en el futuro del lago. A continuación algunos puntos sobresalientes del proyecto que vale la pena dar a conocer.
El proyecto responde a la recomendación urgente de los científicos para que no se descargue ni una gota más aguas negras en el lago.
SOLUCIONES
1) Plantas de tratamiento en las poblaciones del lago U$44.1 millones (y si funcionan no deberían descargar el agua en el lago).
Las plantas de tratamiento NO deben descargar las aguas tratadas al lago puesto que contienen nitrógeno y fósforo. Por tanto no es solución
Operación y mantenimiento U$23.2
Todos estamos enterados de que la mayoría de las plantas de tratamiento no funcionan o funcionan a medias. Para los alcaldes suele ser un dolor de cabeza y un tremendo hoyo en el presupuesto municipal. En Panajachel la nueva planta de El Cebolla no opera con el filtro para fósforo pues tiene un costo adicional muy alto y además está funcionando mal. El costo de operación y mantenimiento está por encima de los Q100 mil mensuales. Y si funcionara a la perfección, las descargas NO DEBEN IR AL LAGO. O sea, es un absurdo.
2) Exportación de aguas residuales (negras) - Costo U$29.6 millones
Exporta las aguas fuera de la cuenca por medio de un tubo colector
Genera electricidad (agua y metano) para todo el sistema y queda excedente
Trata las aguas negras
Reusa las aguas tratadas en agricultura (para que no contaminen los ríos)
Operación y mantenimento U$15.4
Hay una medida que vale la pena resaltar para escoger qué opción es mejor y esta es el costo/valor neto presente. Este es un método para evaluar y elegir entre los diferentes proyectos de inversión disponibles para un proyecto a largo plazo. Básicamente se trata de medir las entradas y salidas de efectivo de cada una de las opciones, en este caso
los gastos de mantenimiento y operación de las plantas de tratamiento (salidas) 2016 al 2036 U$67.4 millones
los gastos de mantenimiento y operación de la exportación de aguas (salidas) y la generación de energía eléctrica, rehuso en agricultura y bonos de carbono (entradas) 2016 al 2036 U$1.4 millones
Esto nos permite evaluar los proyectos para escoger la mejora opción. Las plantas de tratamiento cuestan 48 veces más y no sirven
Abajo parte de la presentación del Dr Stewart Oakley de la Universidad de California quien con el apoyo de sus estudiantes de posgrado, ha adelantado la factibilidad de la exportación de aguas fuera de la cuenca.
En el mapa se ve que se genera electricidad en varios puntos de la cuenca (2 cerca de Sololá, 1 en San Jorge, 1 en Concepción, 1 en San Andrés Semetabaj y 2 fuera de la cuenca - uno de ellos con gas metano producido en las lagunas de oxidación para tratar las aguas negras).
Saludos
Alberto Rivera Gutiérrez
Todos por el Lago
SASTRE RECOMMENDATION
Donna Belk wants to recommend a woman sastre who she found in San Pedro. She has a little store off the main street that goes to the dock, next to Cristolina internet cafe/coffee shop.
Naomi
5584 4390
She does repairs, alterations and original designs.
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Santa Cruz resident, Jeanne Mendez, has been keeping track of the rise of the lake in front of her house since April 2010. It has been pretty dramatic. Just look at the difference in 5 years of the photos between 2009 and just this week in 2014. Note that the stone wall that you see in the 2009 (1st) photo is now the wall that you barely see on the other side of the boardwalk in the 2nd photo.
Jeanne says, "Dates are when the direction of the lake level changed - not when the rain started or stopped.
It's not a science, but I try to be consistent. I measure from a stable place on my dock when the lake is calm - and I take careful note of changes in the height of the dock the (too many) times that my guardian, Pablo, has raised it.
Also, the change in lake level in other locations varies based on how gradual the slope of the earth is.
April 2010 - November 2011: Up 18 feet, 2 inches
Dry Season Nov. 2011 - April 2012: Down 20 inches
Rainy April 2012 - Nov. 2012: Up 33 inches
Dry Season Nov. 2012 - April 27, 2013: Down 25 inches
Rainy April 27 - Nov 6, 2013: Up 45 inches
Dry Season Nov 7, 2013 - April 23, 2104: Down 23 inches
April 24, 2014 - June 26, 2014: Up 23 inches and counting
Total rise since April 2010: Up 20 feet, 10 inches --- and counting. "
Well, it looks like the Canicula is here! Rainfall in Paxanax for the week of July 6 - July 12: 0.6 inches or 1.524 cm.
Click this link to view the Rainfall Report on Google Drive: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1b6pM1oRFAZl-UdQzrF7a4XzKMDCb8V36it5Fcj4859I/edit?usp=sharing
*** The Mayan glyph Kawoq symbolizes rain, lightning and thunder, water and air. It also represents the collective consciousness. ***
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