Unveiling the Impacts of Water Extraction and Drought on high altitude peatlands (bofedales) of northern Chile: A Critical Physical Geography Study

Keywords: Critical Physical Geography, Atacama Desert, peatland, extractivism, NDVI, SPEI
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

This study develops a critical physical geography approach to investigate the impacts of water extraction and drought on bofedales in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Bofedales are high-altitude peat-forming wetlands that are important socio-hydrological systems for mountain ecosystems and indigenous pastoral communities. Using a coupled index of Drought Severity (SPEI) and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) anomalies, the study evaluates the relationship between water extraction by the industrial sector and the productivity of bofedales. By using satellite imagery from 1986 to 2018, the study identifies the spatio-temporal distribution of bofedales in the region and evaluates their plant productivity. The study found extreme anomalies in NDVI, indicating periods of dry and healthy growth of bofedal cover. The study also found that the total amount of water extraction more than doubled after the privatization of water during the Chilean military dictatorship, with the highest amount of water rights located in areas where no bofedal units are found. The findings have implications for wetland conservation and the indigenous pastoral communities who rely on them. The study also raises questions about possible bofedal loss during the 80 years before the satellite record. The presentation will also introduce an open geoportal for online data visualization that provides valuable tools for monitoring and managing the impacts of water extraction and drought on bofedales in the future.