Objectifs scientifiques et projet de recherche

Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable natural resource, source of culture, energy, foods, industry, biodiversity. It also supports a large range of ecosystem properties and services. Freshwater management is thus critical to preserve peace and wellness. Therefore, the sixth UN-SDG promotes a framework of sustainable Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), considering the satisfaction of human needs, but also the environmental conditions guaranteeing the continuity of ecological processes and the stability of aquatic life. The 2018 UN evaluation of IWRM implementation shows a deficit in the Andean countries. The Altiplano (high Andean plateau from Peru and Bolivia) sustains a population of over 2 million people mainly indigenous. Most of this population is in condition of structural vulnerability and low resilience capacities in front of climatic changes scenarii. As other Andean regions, Altiplano is affected by a significant increase in water demand for basic population needs, agriculture and industry in a sensitive context of climate change. The Bolivian government requested IRD’s support to develop E-flows concept and methods in the territory. The environmental flows concept (E-flows) describes the quantity, timing, and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater ecosystems and the human wellbeing. It’s a useful concept to address the need of environmental consideration in IWRM. E-flows methods are mainly based on hydrological/flow-ecological relationships to depict flows that conserve ecosystem proprieties. However, E-flows implementation is limited by a lack of fundamental long-term monitoring and evaluation of E-flows consequences and insufficient research efforts directed at explicitly defining flow-ecology linkages.

Unités IRD

3R22800 : ESPACE-DEV

4R20700 : BOREA

Partenaires / Unités de recherche associés

UMSA : Universidad Mayor de San Andrès

Responsable

M. Carlos MOLINA

Correspondants

M. Marc POUILLY

Disciplines scientifiques

Sciences de la Terre, univers, espace

Thématique(s)

The main objective of our FERRIA project is to develop interdisciplinary studies on
- The characterization of flow regimes (natural and impacted) and
- The flow-ecology relationships in high Andean rivers and wetlands, in order to
- Support regional IWRM implementation.

Objectif(s) du développement durable ciblé(s)

ODD06 - EAU PROPRE ET ASSAINISSEMENT