Hydrogeology in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru: Significance, Processes and Implications for Regional Water Resources
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Hydrogeology in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru: significance, processes and implications for regional water resources By Michel Baraër Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences McGill University, Montreal April 2012 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfilment of requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Copyright © Michel Baraër 2012 1 2 Table of content Table of content ..................................................................................................... 3 Contributions of Authors ................................................................................... 11 1. Introduction / literature review ......................................................................... 13 1.1Global glacier retreat and water resources ................................................... 13 1.2Glacial retreat in Peru .................................................................................. 14 1.3The Rio Santa and water resources .............................................................. 14 1.4Framework ................................................................................................... 16 1.5Objectives .................................................................................................... 17 1.6Approach ...................................................................................................... 17 Context of Chapter 2 within Thesis .................................................................. 19 2. Characterizing contributions of glacier melt and ground water during the dry season in a poorly gauged catchment of the Cordillera Blanca (Peru) ................. 20 2.1 Abstract ....................................................................................................... 20 2.2 Introduction ................................................................................................. 21 2.3 Study area.................................................................................................... 22 2.4 Methodology ............................................................................................... 24 2.5 Results and discussion ................................................................................ 30 2.6 Conclusions ................................................................................................. 33 2.7 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 35 2.8 Tables .......................................................................................................... 36 2.9 Figures......................................................................................................... 41 Context of Chapter Three within Thesis ........................................................... 45 3. Proglacial Hydrogeology in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru .................................. 46 3.1 Abstract ....................................................................................................... 46 3.2 Introduction ................................................................................................. 47 3.3 Study Site .................................................................................................... 49 3.4 Method ........................................................................................................ 52 3.4.1 General considerations ......................................................................... 52 3.4.2 Quantifying the dry-season groundwater contribution to individual watersheds ..................................................................................................... 54 3.4.3 Identifying indicators of water origin .................................................. 55 3.4.4 Identification of contributing water sources ........................................ 56 3.4.5 Evaluating spring recharge elevation ................................................... 57 3.4.6 Spring characterisation ......................................................................... 58 3.5 Results ......................................................................................................... 59 3 3.5.1 Quantifying the groundwater contribution to dry-season outflow of individual watersheds .................................................................................... 59 3.5.2 Regional indicators of water origin ...................................................... 61 3.5.3 Identification of contributing water sources ........................................ 62 3.5.4 Evaluating the elevation of spring recharge ......................................... 64 3.5.5 Spring characterisation ......................................................................... 66 3.6 Discussion ................................................................................................... 68 3.7 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 70 3.8 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 71 3.10 Tables ........................................................................................................ 72 Context of Chapter Four within Thesis ............................................................. 88 4. Glacier recession and water resources in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca.................. 89 4.1 Abstract ....................................................................................................... 89 4.2 Introduction ................................................................................................. 89 4.3 Study Site .................................................................................................... 91 4.4 Methodology ............................................................................................... 92 4.4.1 Data acquisition and screening ............................................................ 92 4.4.2 Trend analysis ...................................................................................... 94 4.4.3 Trend interpretation model ................................................................... 96 4.4.4 Assessing influence of precipitation on discharge trends .................. 100 4.4.5 Estimation of glacier coverage ........................................................... 101 4.4.6 Model parameterization and validation .............................................. 103 4.4.7 Model sensitivity to glacier retreat scenarios ..................................... 104 4.4.8 Potential future hydrologic impacts of glacier retreat ........................ 105 4.5 Results and discussion .............................................................................. 106 4.5.1 Changes in glacierized area ................................................................ 106 4.5.2 Trends in discharge parameters .......................................................... 107 4.5.3 Precipitation influence on discharge trends ....................................... 109 4.5.4 Model validation ................................................................................ 110 4.5.5 Model simulations .............................................................................. 111 4.5.6 Glaciers’ potential to further influence hydrological regimes ........... 114 4.6 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 116 4.7 Acknowledgments..................................................................................... 118 4.9 Tables ........................................................................................................ 119 4.10 Figures..................................................................................................... 129 5. Summary, Conclusion and Direction for Future Research ............................. 135 6. References ...................................................................................................... 139 4 Abstract The retreat of the glaciers of Peru’s Cordillera Blanca is a potential threat to the human, ecological and economic welfare within the Rio Santa watershed. In a context of increasing stress on regional water resources, the relative contributions of groundwater – a major component of the region’s dry-season stream flows - remain poorly characterised and oversimplified in existing hydrological models. By characterising both the variability of the groundwater contribution in space and time, identifying the major relevant hydrogeological processes, and using these data to produce a new mass balance based hydrological model, I investigate to what extent the forecasted loss of volume of the Andean glaciers will affect regional hydrological regimes. The use of hydrochemical, isotopic and hydrological methods shows that groundwater is a major component of the dry- season stream discharge that drains the glacierized valleys of the Cordillera Blanca. This contribution is highly dependent on the preceding two to four years’ precipitation. Spatially, it correlates with the watershed glacier cover. Talus slopes are identified as a key component of the groundwater system since they act as buffering units that collect water from areas at higher elevations and release it slowly, allowing connected springs to remain active during the dry season. Integrating the groundwater specific discharge estimated from the groundwater contribution evaluation, the modeling exercise suggests that seven of nine study