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Study on the Impact of Glacier Retreat on Water Resource Availability for the Cities of La Paz and El Alto

Environment / Energy (Climate Change)

Plurinational State of Bolivia

Terminated

Study on the Impact of Glacier Retreat on Water Resource Availability for the Cities of La Paz and El Alto

Monitoring from an Eye in Space: Securing Water for a City of 2 Million Above the Clouds

Principal Investigator

- Prof.
  TANAKA Hitoshi
  Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University

ODA Recipient Country

Plurinational State of Bolivia

Research Institutions in Japan

Tohoku University / Fukushima University / Tokyo Institute of Technology / Nihon University

Research Institutions in Counterpart Country

San Andrés Main University's Instituto de Hidráulica e Hidrología(IHH-UMSA), etc.

Adoption fiscal year

FY 2009

Research Period

5 Years

Overview of the Research Project

Climate change is threatening an enormous reservoir of pure water with extinction
Climate change is causing the glaciers in Bolivia to accelerate melt, and there are concerns that water resources may run dry in the future. One study found a 56% glacier loss in the past 50 years. This project will work to develop monitoring techniques for securing sustainable water resources. Efforts will focus on projecting the amount of glacier melting that will occur in the future and estimating the changes in water demand accompanying urban population growth. The project will also consider reservoir sediment management and water environment, as well as the water quality of alternative water sources, and will include modeling to support water resource policy from a multifaceted perspective.

Water resources viewed from a multifaceted perspective to develop new management models
Satellite data will be used to analyze changes in glacier and snow area in the Andes highlands. The project is also working on projecting the accumulation of sediment in reservoirs, assessing water quality, examining changes in demand for water in the capital La Paz and the neighboring city of El Alto, and conducting water quality surveys of alternative water sources. The results of these studies will be integrated to reveal the impact of melt water from glaciers on water resources, and used in the creation of water resource management models for La Paz and El Alto.

Photo gallery

Wetlands extend throughout the area downstream of the glacier. Water and energy cycle will be observed in this unique environment of tropical and arid regions at an elevation of 4,500 m.