Vulnerability to Water Scarcity and Glacier Fed Water Availability in the Tropical Callejón de Huaylas, Peru

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Martina Neuburger
• Co-Applicant: Professor Dr. Georg Kaser
• Subject Area: Human Geography
• Term: from 2012 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 212146579

Runoff from glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca dominates water availability in the Callejón de Huaylas, Peru, during the pronounced dry season (May-August) as well as during the transitional periods after and before the wet season (November-March). Different user groups have adapted to these conditions, including respective seasonal and year to year variability, through long traditions in irrigation practices and water management techniques. Both society and climate driven glacier runoff are now undergoing fast and substantial changes which increasingly lead to water related conflicts. With this joint project study we propose a three way analytical approach in which MODULE 1 analyses vulnerabilities of peasant households to water scarcity, relevant power relations within communities and influences of globally induced discourses in a study area east of the regional capital city of Harass, MODULE 2 identifies processes and consequently models glacier runoff from the water shed of the study area, and MODULE 3 faces the major challenge of the study that will be to jointly identify the time scales and magnitudes of water demands and availability. Linking hydro-glaciological results with human-geographical analysis in a continuous work process will provide the understanding of the impacts of climate change on glacier runoff, water availability, and consequently on socially and spatially differentiated vulnerabilities of households and community power relations.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria, Peru
• Participating Person: Dr.-Ing. Jesus Gómez