1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Cartagena (FUA)
Region
Latin America and the Caribbean
Native title of the NBS intervention
Recuperación del Laguito
Short description of the intervention
The "Recuperación del Laguito" project aims to restore El Laguito, a coastal water body in Cartagena, Colombia, severely affected by sedimentation that blocks natural water exchange with the Caribbean Sea. This blockage has led to stagnant, low-oxygen water, degrading water quality and aquatic ecosystems (ref 1). The project seeks to restore El Laguito’s environmental and social functions by reestablishing seawater flow, reducing sediment impact, improving water quality, and reviving the ecosystem. Additionally, it aims to provide data to guide long-term solutions for sustainably managing this community resource (ref 1).
The project is a response to recurring ecological crises, such as frequent fish die-offs due to low oxygen levels. Local residents initially took matters into their own hands, manually attempting to reopen the channel. The formal intervention started following a 2019 directive from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, outlining a phased strategy: short-term installation of an axial pump for water exchange, medium-term studies for a permanent fix, and long-term construction plans (ref 3). Currently, the project involves using heavy machinery to clear sediment and allow seawater inflow, supported by the Gobernación de Bolívar, Cardique, and the Cartagena Mayor's Office. This phase serves as a transitional step towards a more sustainable, permanent solution (ref 2). The project’s impacts focus on ecological restoration. Short-term benefits include better oxygenation, reduced harmful algal blooms, and revived marine life. Long-term goals encompass sustainable water management, ecosystem stabilization, tourism enhancement, and the development of recreational and sports facilities in harmony with environmental conservation (ref 4).
Website of the intervention
https://fundacionbahia.org/proyectos/recuperacion-del-laguito/
Principal problems
Environmental Degradation
Poor water quality
Physical water retention and availability
Implementation area characterization
Climate
Tropical (Tropican rainforest, tropical monsoon, tropical savanna)
Ecosystem
Shallow waters (saline)
Address

cartagena
Colombia

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary (map-based)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
https://www.eluniversal.com.co/cartagena/2012/10/09/el-laguito-con-buen-proyecto-de-recuperacion-costera-pero-sin-recursos/
Area description
Urban (main city)
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Freshwater setting (e.g. river, channel, lake, pond)
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2019
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2024
End date of the intervention
ongoing
Present stage of the intervention
Ongoing
Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
The project aims to "reinstate the natural exchange of seawater" to address the blocked water flow between El Laguito and the Caribbean Sea, which has caused stagnation and poor water quality (ref 1). Other project goals include:
- Mitigate the impacts of sediment build-up, enhancing water quality (ref1).
- Recovery of this body of water and marine species (ref. 4).
- Provide data to inform a definitive long-term solution for maintaining this valuable common resource for the people of Cartagena (ref 1).
- Strengthen tourism, with the aim of making El Laguito a new hub for water sports. (ref 4).
- Create a long-term ecological solution for El Laguito, reorganizing the beaches in this area, supporting sports, and connecting the Castillogrande promenade to El Laguito (ref 4).
Key Priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
Marine and coastal biodiversity protection
Water management (SDG 6)
Improvements to water quality
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Tourism support
Implementation activities and NBS focus
Implementation activities
-The EPA attended to collecting solid waste (such as plastic and glass bottles, tyres, and iron rods) from the affected water body and surrounding areas.
- Removal of organic waste like algae and dead fish from the water.
- EPA conducted water quality monitoring, revealing that oxygen saturation, pH, and electrical conductivity levels were below the acceptable minimum for such ecosystems (ref 5).
- Intervening in the water access channel to El Laguito, to allow for water to flow in and out of the body of water.
- Building a pier for those travelling to Tierrabomba and a tourist complex in this area (ref 3).
- Build a new breakwater that extends to the depth of the beach profile closure, thereby containing the sedimentary material on the nearby beaches (ref 3).
- Change the land ordinance guidelines to prioritize restoring the environmental component of this body of water and its marine species and strengthening tourism (ref 4).
Type of NBS project
Coastal landscape management or protection
Coastal ecosystems restoration and maintenance (mangroves, dunes, saltplains, underwater meadows)
Ecological restoration of ecosystems
Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems)
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Blue infrastructure
Lakes/ponds
Coastlines
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Coastal defences / dikes
Amenities offered by the NBS
Sports areas and equipment
Design elements for well-being
None of the above
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes)
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Cultural services
Tourism
Recreation
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Demographics in implementation area
El Laguito is a neighborhood in the city of Cartagena, Colombia. It is located on the outskirts of the city, near the Caribbean Sea. It is known for its beautiful beaches and is a popular tourist destination. This neighbourhood is surrounded by beaches, hotels, and a lake that gives it its name. It is also home to several government buildings, including embassies, the Presidential Palace, and the Ministry of Defense (ref 6).
Socio-economic profile of the area
Mixed income
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Coastal communities
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Coastal-dependent communities (e.g. small-scale fishers, coastal farmers, and indigenous peoples)
Specify primary beneficiaries
Over time, the mouth of El Laguito has gradually closed, preventing seawater from entering and thus reducing oxygenation, which has been deteriorating the ecosystem. Since then, the residents of the neighbourhood have been engaged in a tireless struggle, using picks and shovels to go to the beach and open the channel on their own to allow water to flow. The community of El Laguito has waited many years for the completion of works that would put an end to the lagoon's problems, as they had in the past to settle for temporary measures that have not addressed the root cause. (ref 3).
Marginalized groups
Unknown
Other beneficiaries
Local wildlife (e.g., birds, pollinators)
Native plant vegetation
Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Government-led
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The incoming city's administration, in partnership with the Governor's Office of Bolívar, proposed this project that includes various improvements, such as the expansion of the canal that links the sea with the water body, the renovation of the pedestrian walkway, and the construction of two breakwaters and a dock for motorboats. (ref 3). The Governor of Bolívar, Yamil Arana, emphasized that the interventions in El Laguito also have the support of the Mayor's Office of Cartagena, Cardique, the Fundación Bahía y Ecosistemas de Colombia and the Delegate Attorney for Environmental Affairs (ref 4).
Key actors - initiating organization
Regional government
Local government/municipality
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
National government
Public sector institution
Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders)
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Uncommon actors ("Missing actors")
Unknown
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy
Yes
Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"
The formal intervention started following a 2019 directive from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (ref 3).
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
The formal intervention started following a 2019 directive from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, outlining a phased strategy: short-term installation of an axial pump for water exchange, medium-term studies for a permanent fix, and long-term construction plans (ref 3).
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Mandatory (based on policy)
Intervention is mandatory
Spatial planning guidance
Enablers & Barriers
Type of enablers
Capacity-building projects
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives.
The collaborative effort among multiple stakeholders, including the city administration, the Governor's Office, the Mayor's Office, environmental agencies, and a non-governmental organization, demonstrates a governance innovation as a project enabler, fostering effective coordination and decision-making for the project's success.
Governace and decison-making instruments
Legislative and regulatory instruments (e.g. laws, strategies, regulations or restrictions)
Joint regional planning between municipalities (e.g. inter-municipal exchange platforms, regional plans for environmental management)
Arrangements for governance cooperation
Unknown
Barriers
Regional and local government inaction in the past (ref 3).
Financing
Total cost
€2,000,000 - €4,000,000
Please specify total cost (EUR)
2190123 (ref 3, 4).
Source(s) of funding
Public local authority budget
Public regional budget
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-governance arrangement
Unknown
Entrepreneurship opportunities
Unknown
Business models
Business models
Risk reduction model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Citizens / local communities
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Water management and blue areas
Improved water quality
Achieved improved water quality
Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
Achieved enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
Achieved enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
Green space and habitat
Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Achieved increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Restoration of derelict areas
Achieved restoration of derelict areas
Description of environmental benefits
-Achieved improved water quality, Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems, Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems: The Public Environmental Establishment (EPA) Cartagena, through the Subdirectorate of Technical and Sustainable Development, with the support of the Environmental Guard, the Public Services Office, and Pacaribe, collected 30 kilograms of dead fish due to the environmental issues in El Laguito. During the intervention in the water body, and with the participation of the degraded areas recovery program, 15 kilograms of solid waste were also collected, including plastic and glass bottles, tyres, and iron rods (ref 5).
-Increased conversion of degraded land or soil & Restoration of derelict areas: Additionally, in the area surrounding El Laguito, pruning and illegal logging debris were found, which were also collected and disposed of in the solid waste collection system (ref 5).
Economic impacts
More sustainable tourism
Expected more sustainable tourism
Description of economic benefits
More sustainable tourism: The project was expected to strengthen tourism, with the aim of making El Laguito a new hub for water sports. (ref 4).
Social and cultural impacts
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Description of social and cultural benefits
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise: The project was expected to create new recreation opportunities, mainly through creating a new hub for water sports. (ref 4).
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Type of indicators
Progress indicators
Outcome indicators
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Cost-benefit analysis
Unknown
Transparency
Unknown
Justice
Community satisfaction
Mixed: Feedback and reports show a combination of positive and negative sentiments regarding satisfaction with the NBS project within the community.
Description of locals satisfaction with the project
- "We hope that before any decision is made, there will be discussions with the community. We do not want a solution that lasts only four years, but rather a definitive solution and a project that improves the surroundings of El Laguito without negatively affecting it," said Kelly Pérez, president of the El Laguito Community Action Board". ref 3
- Residents of El Laguito are hopeful about the possibility of the water body being restored. The ecosystem has been suffering from a lack of oxygen. ref 3
Trade-offs & Negative impacts
Unknown
Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices
No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project
Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement
Unknown
High-quality & Transformative NBS
Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community)
No
Goal setting and impacts delivery
No, project goals were not set, and benefits were not delivered in all 3 key areas.
Reaching original project goals
Some of the project goals were achieved
Long-term perspective
Yes
Cost-effective solutions
Unknown
Equitable impacts
C. Unknown
Transformative capacity
Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution)
Magnitude of change
Reformist: by focusing on addressing underlying drivers of change but failing to address the problem structurally or systemically
Application of lessons learned
Unknown
Perception of Environmental Change
Unknown
References
1.
Fundación Bahía y Ecosistemas de Colombia (2024). Recuperación del Laguito. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
2.
Gobernacion de Bolivar (2024). Gobernación envía maquinarias a El Laguito para recuperar intercambio de aguas.. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
3.
El Universal (2024). El largo camino hacia la recuperación ambiental de El Laguito. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
4.
El Tiempo (2024). Cartagena: así sería la recuperación y plan ambiental para cuerpo de agua ‘El Laguito’. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
5.
EPA Cartagena (2023). EPA Cartagena, activó plan de mitigación ambiental y recoge peces muertos, con ocasión a la atención de la emergencia en El Laguito. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
6.
La Guía Turística de Cartagena de Indias (n.d.). El Laguito. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
Comments and notes
Comments
the new phase of the project just started in 2024, not much impacts reported at the moment.
Additional insights
- After the Bolívar Governor's Office announced the works in El Laguito, the community expressed optimism about achieving the environmental recovery of the lagoon. However, they requested greater participation in the decisions regarding the transformation of this area. (ref 3).
Public Images
picture of El Laguito
picture of El Laguito
https://www.tierrabombacartagena.com/cartagena/playas-de-el-laguito/
cleaning activities by the EPA Cartagena
cleaning activities by the EPA Cartagena
https://epacartagena.gov.co/web/epa-cartagena-activo-plan-de-mitigacion-ambiental-y-recoge-peces-muertos-con-ocasion-a-la-atencion-de-la-emergencia-en-el-laguito/
intervention in El Laguito by the government
intervention in El Laguito by the government
https://www.bolivar.gov.co/web/gobernacion-envia-maquinarias-a-el-laguito-para-recuperar-intercambio-de-aguas/
Indicator
Achieved improved water quality
Impact evaluation
Strong
Degree of confidence
Medium
Indicator
Achieved enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
Impact evaluation
Moderate
Degree of confidence
Medium
Indicator
Achieved enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
Impact evaluation
Moderate
Degree of confidence
Medium
Indicator
Achieved increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Impact evaluation
Moderate
Degree of confidence
Medium
Indicator
Achieved restoration of derelict areas
Impact evaluation
Moderate
Degree of confidence
Medium