Bulletin 1: Andean glaciars today

glaciares andinos al día

ANDEAN GLACIARS TODAY

Edition Nº 1

INFORMATIVE December 2011 to March 2012

PRESENTATION Glaciers play a very important role in the world, not only because they are so majestic, but because they are the main source of freshwater in the world.

The accelerated melting, as a result of global warming, causes the reduction of important glacial areas, which in turn leads to reduced availability of water resources.

Agua Sustentable implements projects, since several years, with the objective to better understand the problems of Andean glaciers and of the communities that depend on them. These initiatives aim to improve the capacities for adaptation to climate change of the benefittng communities, through pilot projects, adaptation strategies and plans.

BULLETIN Projects mentioned in the bulletin Strengthening the capacity and developing strategies for adaption to the climate change phenomena in the communities of the Cordillera Real of the Central Andes of Bolivia.

Adaptation to climate change in Bolivian Andean Communities that depend on tropical glaciers.

Strengthening the Capacity of Resilience to Climate Risks and Trends in Indigenous Communities that are dependent on Bolivia’s Tropical Glaciers.

This concern motivated the institution to make the Bulletin Glaciers Today, which wants to share the work of AguaSustentable, related to the problems of Bolivian communities that are dependent on the glaciers. We invite you to read on and learn about our work!

Agua Sustentable

NEWS

Partner institutions

Project: “Strengthening the capacity and developing strategies for adaption to the climate change phenomena in the communities of the Cordillera Real of the Central Andes of Bolivia”.

Presentation of the adaptation strategy In late April, the Strategy of Adaptation to the Effects of Climate Change and Global Change in Communities of the Micro Basin of the River Sajhuaya was presented. The document intents to be a guide to planned adaptation process in this basin. Prepared in a participatory manner with the communities, in the first part, explains the physical and socio-economic vulnerabilities that make the different types of vulnerabilities of the communities in the area. The second part, presents the proposal to reduce the vulnerablility and the recomendations of the various stakeholders that must ussume the implementation of the Strategy. The strategy will be handed over to the communities in the Sajhuaya watershed and to different local, regional and national authorities. Furhtermore, there will be a virtual version that can be comunicated to people and institutions interested in the subject.

For more information visit:

www.glaciares.org.bo

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glaciares andinos al día

Project: “Adaptation to climate change in Bolivian Andean Communities that depend on tropical glaciers” Visit of Christian Aid to the Sajama National Park On last 7 and 8 March, representatives of Christian Aid: Lucy Hadfield, Caroline Garcia and Gerhard Buttner, along with technicians of Agua Sustentable visited the Sajama National Park.

The purpose of this visit was to share the work that has been done so far in the project area.

During this trip, there was a visit to one of the weather station installed in the area, located in the lower Nevado Sajama and which forms part of the climate monitoring network that is being established by the project. Another destiny of the trip was the Caripe Community, where there was an inspection of the works of drilling wells to obtain drinking water, as pilot work of adaptation. In the communities of Sajama and Lagunas, the places of location of the future pilot work that will be implemented were visited, one relating to the installation of a wind pump and the other to the collection and distribution of water, both for irrigation of wetlands.

As a result of this visit, the representatives of one of the institutions that supports the work of Agua Sustentable in the area could learn about the activities carried out in the context of the project and could have a clearer idea of the reality of working in the area.

Project: “Adaptation to climate change in Bolivian Andean Communities that depend on tropical glaciers” Delivery of the distribution system of water for irrigation, community Tahuapalca In December 2011, the project team delivered the channel for the distribution of water for irrigation in the Comunity of Tahuapalca in the watershed of Sajhuaya. The work was directed to the implemention of a distribution system for water at a parcel level, in order to improve the operating efficiency of the irrigation system in the area known as Cemetery. Therefor, a system of water pipes was installed (polyethylene pipe of 3 and 2 inches) These studies were conducted together with the population, that participated in the entire construction process. As a result, we were able to benefit 70 families Tahuapalca community.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND LESSONS LEARNED Illimani zone Adaptation strategy: tools supporting the community

The field work on the base of “equal footing”

“The studies that were conducted by the project Illimani at the Universidad Mayor de San Andres and Agua Sustentable are important to our area and us, the inhabitants. Also the adaptation strategy documents that they have written are very important documents, because with these documents, we will go to the Municipality and the Government to ask for support with projects to improve our production and irrigation systems, because these are our means of life. I myself will help and will fo personally to deliver this document to the Mayor.

““In this period of the work, consistent of research and implementation of pilot construction works, a remarkable change in attitude of the inhabitants was noticed. The dynamics of field work must necessarily be horizontal, on the base of “equal footing”. Local knowledge and know-how must be shared, and complementedwith tecnical and academical expertisefor the work and/or design of the construction works, because this allows people to feel included and that their criteria are taken into account. I think that people change their attitude or their way of thinking when they are valued and included.

Thus, mutual trust is essential in the process of working with communities.. Edwin Torrez Soria: Tecnician Agua Sustentable

Victor Pabón Osko: Secretary General of the comunity of Cebollullo

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Sajama zone The necesity to de conserve the water

Communities with initiative

“In the area of the Sajama National Park, we perceived that awareness of villagers on climate change was significantly modified. Now there is a concern to preserve the livelihoods that nature gave them. Currently, community members are interested in finding out more about climate change. They are aware that if they are more prepared to face the effects of climate change and if they adopt different adaptation measures, they may dispose of sufficient water for future generations. “

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Enrique Alurralde: tecnician of the team of Agua Sustentable

ACTIVIDADES What the future will bring Project “Strengthening the capacity and developing strategies for adaption to the climate change phenomena in the communities of the Cordillera Real of the Central Andes of Bolivia” Period: December Illimani zone

Comunity

Work accomplished

Cebollullo

Delivery of two pilot works which improve the irrigation canals with polyethylene pipes.

Tahuapalca

Delivery of improvement works of the irrigation distribution system.

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glaciares andinos al día

Project: “Strengthening the Capacity of Resilience to Climate Risks and Trends in Indigenous Communities that are dependent on Bolivia’s Tropical Glaciers” Period: January - February - March Sajama zone

Comunity

National Park Sajama Comunity experience sharing workshop of the

PPA

Illimani zone

Comunity

La Granja

Work accomplished Visit of the funding agency Christian Aid to the areas of project work.

Participation og the team in the workshop “Resilient livelihoods in the context of climate change”, held in the city of Cusco - Peru.

Work accomplished

Progress in the implementation of the distribution system for water for irrigation from the water intake from the river to the community.

Project: “Adaptation to climate change in Bolivian Andean Communities that depend on tropical glaciers” Illimani zone

Comunity

Work accomplished

Khapi

Implementation of water collectors for the toilets of the school, which capture rainwater.

Challasirca

Improvement of the irrigation canals, by for example sand catcher chambers and 6-inch polytubes.

Cebollullo

Improvement of the intake of water with 8-inch polytube

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glaciares andinos al día Sajama zone

Work accomplished

Comunity

La Paz

Sajama

Meeting of the complete technical-scientific team that works on the project, in order to share the progress so far and plan pending activities for the coming months.

Implementation of control of the subterraneaous and surficial flow rate in the monitored watershed.

What the future will bring Project: “Strengthening the capacity and developing strategies for adaption to the climate change phenomena in the communities of the Cordillera Real of the Central Andes of Bolivia” Period: April - May Illimani zone

Presentation of the adaptation strategy to the authorities of the Municipality In late April, the Agua Sustentable team will present the Strategy of Adaptation to the Effects of Climate Change and Global Change in Communities of the Micro Basin of the River Sajhuaya, Municipality of Palca to the authorities of the region. They will be given hard copies of the strategy, with the aim of providing a tool for climate change adaptation. In the next bulletin, we will present the results of this activity.

Project: “Adaptation to climate change in Bolivian Andean Communities that depend on tropical glaciers” Illimani and Sajama zone

Exchange of experiences between two glaciers dependent communities A very important activity, proposed in the context of the project, is the exchange of experiences on adaptation between the two communities where this initiative is being implemented: Illimani and Sajama. Community representatives learned about the work accomplished and the ongoing work in both areas. This interesting activity lead to great achievements and impacts on the visitors, which will be presented in the next issue of the bulletin.

Sajama zone

Implementation of windpumps Continuing with the implementation of the pilot project works, in the months of April and May, the Agua Sustentable team will work on building windpumps. These technologies, which work on wind and do not cause energy expenses, will allow the benefitting population to have more access to water resources. The windpumps will be implemented in the Sajama and Posito Verde Comunities.

Implementation of water wells for consumption In the moths of April and May, the Agua Sustentable team will implement water wells for the consumption of the population. These wells will be used by the families of the beneficiary communities, where one well is allocated per family. The team will implement eight wells in the communities Caripe, Yakus and Wara. Similarly, 10 wells will be constructed in the community of Lagunas Yakus.

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glaciares andinos al día Improving irrigation canals

The Improvement of irrigation canals is one of the activities that the Agua Sustentable team performs in the context of the project.

On this occasion, we will work with the communities Manayasa and Papelpampa to improve their irrigation canals. In Manayasa, we will contribute to an optimal transportation of the water to the irrigation of wetlands. In Papelpampa, the canal that will be improved will be used for irrigation of wetlands in the “machaje” area, that is to say, to the area reserved for raisung male “macho” cattle.

Entrega diseño final del Centro de Interpretación Ambiental Delivery of the final design of the Environmental Interpretation Center In the context of project, final designs portfolios of some infrastructure works are being developed. Among them is the design of the Environmental Interpretation Center in the community of Sajama. This work will be presented in the period from April to May for its review. Subsequently, it will be ready for implemention.

Finalization of the study on floristic composition As part of the research executed by the project, the floristic composition of some wetlands in the Sajama National Park are being studied. This work, which will finalize in the period from April to May, is identifying the various plant communities that inhabit the Sajama area. To do this, the dominant plant species in the area were registred and a comparison was made between plant species of natural wetlands and under irrigation. These results will be presented in the final report and in future editions of the bulletin.

FEATURED PHOTO

Construction of the Distribution System of Water for Irrigation Place: Comunity of Tahuapalca (Illimani Zone). Author: Edwin Torrez

Agua Sustentable

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La Paz: Calle Nataniel Aguirre N° 82 entre Calles 11B y 12 ( Irpavi ). Tel/Fax: +591 (2) 2151744 Cel: 70187111 lapaz@aguasustentable.org Cochabamba: Calle Irigoyen Nº 150, entre Juan de la Rosa y Yuracaré (zona Sarco). Tel/Fax: +591 (4) 4423162 cochabamba@aguasustentable.org Tupiza: Av.Tomás Frias N° 350 (Zona Plaza San Antonio) Tel/Fax: +591 (2) 6945338 tupiza@aguasustentable.org

www.aguasustentable.org

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