Sustainable development of agriculture, mining, natural resources are constrained by availability and quality of water resources. On-going concerns about the sustainability of agronomic management and the legacy of resource extraction in the Arequipa region that threatens water quality and food safety, coupled with urgent concern regarding future glacial water supply, make water management a critical part of future planning in this region.
Arequipa has the potential to be a prosperous region; however, past development has created equity and environmental concerns. Sustainable water management strategies are key to achieving agricultural and economic development, mitigating risks associated with future climate change and variability, and maintaining biodiversity.
The Center for Sustainable Watershed Management (CSWM) will work with key stakeholder groups to develop data, simulation models, and decision support tools that can be utilized to make watershed management decisions. The CSWM will utilize state-of-the-art data sets, modeling laboratories including GIS and remote sensing labs, and decision tools that can be run on a variety of computing platforms, e.g. desktop computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc.
The center will enable UNSA to improve research and develop management strategies towards long-term sustainability of the water resource; glacial meltwater, seasonal precipitation and groundwater to meet current and future competing demands of water. The establishment of decision support tools, watershed models and simulations, and the evaluation of land use, land management, and climate change will increase water availability and quality, agricultural production, and economic growth in the region.
