The Andean Glacier and Water Atlas

Sectoral dependency on water in the Andes Glacial meltwater plays a vital role to societies and economies across the Andean countries, for example, by providing supplies for domestic use water, including drinking and sanitation water. Andean agriculture is also dependent on glacial meltwater, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of some of the Andean countries such as Peru and Bolivia. The decrease in glacier runoff is therefore likely to produce water stress and affect agricultural production and food security within certain areas (Young & Lipton, 2006). Other economic sectors that are highly water dependent include mining and hydropower (Buytaert et al., 2017; Carey et al., 2017; Vuille et al., 2018). The decline in glacier meltwater could have potential negative effects for these sectors. An estimate from Peru´s hydropower plant Canon del Pato on the Rio Santa, suggested that there would be a reduction of 1,540 to 1,250 GWh with a 50 per cent reduction in glacier runoff, and in the case where the glaciers disappear completely, it would be reduced to 970 GWh (Vergara et al., 2007). In general, it is hard to make conclusions on the potential future effects of the reduction of glacial meltwater to the hydropower sector (Vuille et al., 2018). The tourism industry is another example of a sector that potentially may be influenced by the decreased glacier size (Vuille et al., 2018).

PERU

Lima

BOLIVIA

Titicaca

Sucre

Maximum glacier melt contribution to river runo Percentage 10 or less

10 to 20 20 to 25 25 to 50 More than 50

Rio Colorado

Santiago

CHILE

ARGENTINA

Bio Bio

Rio Negro

Palena

56

Chobut