Outlook on climate change adaptation in the Tropical Andes mountains

CASE STUDY

Regional Initiative on Hydrological Monitoring of Andean Ecosystems (iMHEA)

A key service provided by Andean ecosystems is the supply and regulation of water for domestic use, agriculture and hydropower generation. However, basic information about hydrological processes in the Andean ecosystems is still needed to understand the effectiveness of

different climate change adaptation measures that target land use in Andean watersheds. However, it has been difficult to establish and maintain research-grade observation networks because of remoteness and the lack of recognition of these ecosystems as water providers. The iMHEA was

created by Andean experts and institutions to address these obstacles. The iMHEA aims to increase knowledge about the hydrology of Andean ecosystems to support decision-making for the sustainable management of Andean water resources. The researchers who are members of the iMHEA agreed on the following goals for the network: • Generation and management of information, according to common standards, about the hydrology of Andean ecosystems; • Promotion of interaction among research, public, private, and community entities interested in Andean hydrology; • Strengthening the technical capacities of local entities about water resources; • Diffusion of the results of research on Andean hydrology. Currently the network monitors 17 small catchments in 8 communities throughout the Tropical Andes, which will soon make it possible to drawconclusions at the regional level and to identify spatial variability in sub-regions. The programme also benefits these communities through capacity building and detailed hydrological information for water management. This monitoring program fills a gap in the data from the national hydro meteorological networks, initiatives on monitoring of glaciers under climate-change conditions, and hydrological modelling studies, which have been insufficient for hydrological management decisions in the Andes.

Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador

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