the civil society, government agencies, ngos and the hydroelectric power station which operates the dam. the management plan identified sustainable development projects benefiting the 25,000 inhabitants of the basin. water users fees the world health organization (who) reported that user fees in urban centers of nicaragua were increased annually by enacal between 1998 and 2001. fee increases ranged from 12% to 28%. the fee increases strengthened the finances of enacal; however, they also led to civil protests and legal action against a proposed 30% increase for the year 2002. fees were frozen until 2008 nearly leading enacal into bankruptcy. to compensate, the government of nicaragua has transferred approximately us$100 million to enacal since 2005. ramsar wetland sites in nicaragua the los guatuzos wetlands. the ramsar convention on wetlands came into force for nicaragua on november 30, 1997. nicaragua presently has 8 sites designated as wetlands of international importance, with a total surface area of 405,691 hectares (1,002,484 acres). the wetlands of nicaragua protect coastal communities from flooding and provide bountiful supplies of fish and beautiful freshwater. ramsar wetland sites: cayos miskitos y franja costera immediata deltas del estero real y llanos de apacunca lago de apanás-asturias los guatuzos refugio de vida silvestre río san juan sistema de humedales de la bahía de bluefields sistema de humedales de san miguelito sistema lagunar de tisma potential climate change impacts it has been proved that climate change will affect nicaragua sooner rather than later due to its geographic location in the traditional path of strong atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes. planning efforts in nicaragua are directed towards adapting to wider climate variability including stronger storms in some years and more severe droughts in others, and higher temperatures that will provoke increased evaporation. this will lead to even drier years than the nicaraguan agriculture had already suffered in past decades. moreover, there is a high deforestation rate in nicaragua that makes the country even more vulnerable to climate change induced flooding and landslides. climate change predictions by the ministry of national resources and the environment in nicaragua indicate that within this century rainfall will decline by an average of 30%, and temperatures rise by 1-2o c. these changes could effectively eliminate coffee production in the northern pacific slope highlands of segovias, the highest quality coffee in nicaragua. over the past four years the el niño/la niña climate cycles have increased infrequency. cycles having alternated from one year to the next; 2004 and 2006 were low rainfall el niño years, 2006 having historically low rainfall, while 2005 and 2007 were very high rainfall la niña years. one drop foundation the nicaragua project of the one drop foundation focuses on the estelí region which is located in the dry tropic zone. the estelí region is located in the north of nicaragua and home to 5.5 million people. the area experiences sporadic and intermittent rainfall. this, coupled with a decade-long civil war that destroyed basic infrastructure, resulted in the people living there having little access to safe water. the nicaragua project (2006–2010) directly impacts 1,200 families and will ultimately benefit approximately 10,000 men, women and children. progress report technical and material contributions energy-efficient stoves: 1,200/1,200 family gardens: 1,200/1,200 grey water filters: 1,230/1,230 hen houses: 1,200/1,200 potable water filters: 1,350/1,350 rehabilitated water wells: 90/90 schoolgardens: 30/30 water reservoirs: 120/120 social arts and popular education community activities led: 18/18 educational and artistic workshops: 281/281 multidisciplinary touring shows: 202/130 microfinance number of recipients: 1,350 families