In the recent season, water was undoubtedly both the protagonist and the antagonist. The floods suffered between the regions of Valparaíso and Araucanía significantly affected the water infrastructure in the area, causing damage to at least 68% of the producers, which was reflected in the loss of surface area and delays in the start of the irrigation season. The El Niño phenomenon of 2023 boosted the increase in rainfall and some are now talking about the statistical end of the megadrought, since there are sectors where historical rainfall peaks were reached and river flows were observed that had not been seen for decades.
In the north, the situation was different. In the Coquimbo region, the decrease in rainfall and high temperatures currently maintain a scenario where basins such as the Elqui and Limarí rivers have storage in their reservoirs of 7.7% and 2.8%, respectively. Thus, the water crisis continues.
The El Niño phenomenon is expected to end in the coming months, giving way to “La Niña”, which usually lasts one year, but can last up to three, as happened between 2020 and 2022. The impact of this new phenomenon will depend on the season of the year it begins; for example, if it begins in winter, a decrease of more than 50% in rainfall in the central zone can be expected.
To adapt to and mitigate the impacts of a changing climate, it is important to diversify water supply sources. One source that is more resilient to these seasonal changes is groundwater. Aquifers are huge reservoirs located beneath the surface and vary their properties to transmit and store the resource, depending on the location where we are observing, that is, the hydrogeological context of the sector where a field is located.
Thus, some agricultural areas such as Paine and Teno have suffered a drop in the performance of their wells, since the current water level exceeds 100 meters deep, and other areas maintain high and stable flows such as San Vicente de Tagua Tagua and Río Claro, due to the existence of sediments with favorable hydraulic properties at depth.
Groundwater undoubtedly makes a great contribution to achieving water security for a project, and one option to maintain agricultural growth is to identify areas in Chile that have high-potential aquifers and a climate conducive to the development of crops such as cherries.
To answer these questions and recognize the potential of an aquifer we invite you to read more about Aquadetect at www.aquadetect.cl or write to us at info@aquadetect.cl.
