Senamhi warns of the impacts of climate change and land use on the water resources of Cusco

The National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru (Senamhi) developed an unprecedented investigation in the Piuray-Ccorimarca basin, in the Cusco region, which reveals how climate change and transformations in land use directly influence the availability and quality of water resources in this important Andean area. The study takes on special relevance due to the fact that the Piuray-Ccorimarca basin supplies drinking water to a high percentage of the Cusco population, in addition to rural communities and agricultural activities, and plays a key role as a natural reservoir during the rainy season. For the analysis, Senamhi researchers employed specialized hydrological modeling tools, evaluating three fundamental components: the amount of available water, the storage of water in the soil, and the control of erosion. The results indicate that climate change would, in general terms, have positive effects on the region, with a projected increase in precipitation between 12% and ...