Water scarcity threatens the viability of hydropower and agriculture.
Water scarcity threatens the viability of hydropower and agriculture. A new study in the Andes shows that reducing the need for irrigation through protecting ecosystems is key.
A new study, focused on a remote region of the Peruvian Andes where the waters of the Amazon originate, carries lessons for hydropower operators and farming communities worldwide: collaborating on sustainable land management is the best decision they can make for the long-term viability of their businesses and livelihoods. It also opens opportunities for restoration of degraded ecosystems. Research from the Stanford-based Natural Capital Project (NatCap) in Communications - Earth & Environment integrates hydropower operations with watershed processes and climate projections in a novel, high-resolution modeling approach for the Huallaga River Basin, upstream of the Chaglla Dam. It shows the interdependency of the food and energy sectors in the Andes, where climate change is driving increased competition for water. It also shows the important role of ecosystems in aligning objectives across sectors and finding balanced outcomes that mitigate losses and tradeoffs.
“This study is exciting because this is the first time climate change, hydropower, and land management practices have been put together in a robust decision-making approach,” said Zhaowei Ding, a postdoctoral researcher at NatCap and lead author on the paper. “In this region, people had looked at the relationship between hydropower and deforestation, or hydropower and food, but they were not connected. Now, we can show where water goes in the basin and we can optimize our management suggestions.”
Read more at Stanford University
