Project 1-353 Peru

Partnerships for enhanced engagement in research (PEER) SCIENCE
Cycle 1 (2011 Deadline)

Building Peruvian capacity for monitoring and modeling the effects of climate change on the Coropuna Glacier and associated watersheds in Arequipa, Peru

PI: Karen Kraft (former) and Julio F. Alegría (since April 2013), Asociacion Especializada para el Desarrollo Sostenible (AEDES)

Installation of a network of sensors on the axis of Tualqui Glacier on Coropuna. Photo courtesy of Dr. Karen Kraft.

US Partner: Joerg Schaefer, Columbia University
Project Dates: June 2012 - January 2014

Project Overview

Peru is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to the dependence of 70 percent of its population on glaciers for dry season water; however, Peru lacks an integral vision that builds climate change resilience by linking investigation, local knowledge, and decision-making. In this project, AEDES is partnering with the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University with the goal of building Peru´s capacity for monitoring and modeling local climate change in its Pacific Basin. The objectives of this capacity building project are to (1) improve data collection and analysis through practical training, (2) foster knowledge and data exchanges between national and international scientists, and (3) contribute to more robust modeling of Coropuna-vicinity climate change scenarios. This project will facilitate quality data collection by local researchers that contributes to local models that should help decision makers to better prepare themselves for changing climate conditions.

To achieve their objectives, these researchers will carry out a series of joint data collection and field-based training during the summers of 2012 and 2013 and will maintain periodic monitoring of glacier mass at two sites and of hydrological data in two sub-basins. A highlight of the project will be the installation of a new weather and hydrology station installed on Coropuna, which should enhance data accuracy. The project will also provide support for the thesis research and training of two Peruvian master's degree students. One workshop will be organized on climate change, glaciers, and hydrology in the southern Andes, and another training workshop on climate change modeling will be conducted. Overall, it is expected that the US-based researchers involved will benefit from improved logistical support and an expanded field season, while the Peruvian investigators will gain from improved precision in data collection and analysis, knowledge of international research results, and enhanced ability to model climate change scenarios. The project should also provide the international research and policy community with vital information for understanding the sensitivity of tropical glaciers in Peru´s highly valued freshwater reservoirs to climate warming.

Summary of Recent Activities

Installation of an accumulation pond on Tualqui Glacier on Coropuna. Photo courtesy of Dr. Karen Kraft.

· In the spring of 2013, AEDES investigators have coordinated with scientists from Peru’s national Glaciology Unit with the aim of analyzing the evolution of the glacier mass on the southern flank of Coropuna Glacier. As a result, they undertook analysis of data consistency for a historic series of rainfall and temperature data from the weather stations closest to Coropuna Mountain (Orcopampa, Cotahuasi, Chuquibamba, Yanaquihua, Salamanca, Pampacolca). This information is critical for the development of studies on water resources in watersheds fed by the glacier, to be undertaken by thesis students in 2013. During this trimester, AEDES has continued negotiations with the Environment Ministry (Senamhi), the Arequipa Regional Government, and the Ministry of Agriculture regarding installation of equipment to monitor weather conditions and water availability on the flanks of Coropuna Mountain. The project that AEDES designed in conjunction with the regional government assures financing for two automatic weather stations, as well as the maintenance for all three stations, and these stations must be linked to the national weather system administered by Senamhi to ensure the availability of real-time climate data for a global network of users. Negotiations with the various government agencies have taken longer than expected, as has procurement of the necessary equipment. It is now hoped that the equipment can be obtained in time to be installed after the rainy season ends in June 2013. That same month, a joint expedition to Corapuna is planned, involving Peruvian researchers and students and U.S. counterparts from Columbia University and the University of Maine. Also as part of this PEER Science project, the AEDES team is preparing for a workshop to be held in Huaraz July 11-23, entitled “Managing Climate Change in High Mountain Glacial Watersheds: Promoting Social, Scientific, and Institutional Collaboration." Because Dr. Kraft has left AEDES and accepted a new position in Lima, Engr. Julio F. Alegría has assumed responsibilities as principal investigator.