Small-scale communities in remote areas are often vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. Glaciers in the Peruvian Andes are retreating dramatically while the demand for water in this otherwise arid area is increasing. In this project, we studied possible replenishing options for the water sources these communities use for their supplies. The resulting knowledge enabled the identification, in cooperation with local communities, of effective, small-scale measures to reinforce the water supply capacity. This process was carried out in a consortium with Both ENDS and the Institute for Environmental Studies.
Hydrochemical and isotopic measurements were performed to analyse the hydrogeologic system and the groundwater inflow that recharges the wells. This enabled the assessment of the ‘fingerprint’ of the water and, by consequence, the well. The results indicated that the wells were recharged predominantly by small-scale groundwater flows, and that glacier water was of limited influence. Changes in the recharge volume were mostly due to changes in precipitation, infiltration and land use. That is why the most effective measures were taken together with local farmers in the vicinity of a well.
