Río Queuco

Research

Origin

Water scarcity is a nationwide reality in Chile, caused by both climate change and the water market model. This concerning issue requires involvement from multiple perspectives, including local communities, academia, and public and private institutions.

The decision to specifically study the Queuco River arose in the context of a doctoral research project at the University of Concepción, in response to a request from the Network for the Defense of the Queuco River (RDRQ), a local organization that has mobilized to raise awareness about the so-called Hydric Highway project.

This project aims to build a giant canal from south to north to transport large volumes of water, beginning with the Queuco River and involving the extraction of water from 19 rivers in central-southern Chile. The purpose of the water transfer is to irrigate export-oriented agricultural crops.

Market Solution

The corporation behind the Hydric Highway project argues that the project would help mitigate the effects of climate change, stating that water in the South is abundant and “lost to the sea.” However, scientific research and the experience of similar projects in other countries suggest the opposite.

Moreover, considering that the same Queuco River basin is in an area projected to experience a decrease in precipitation and an increase in temperature, a water transfer in the context of Chile’s current Water Code, which does not safeguard the human right to water or ecosystem requirements, would only deepen inequities in water distribution and access.

A water transfer in the context of the current Water Code in Chile, which does not protect the human right to water, would only deepen inequities…

Derechos de agua

Water Use Rights

99.98% of water rights in the basin are currently owned by people and companies outside of it. Many of these are registered for hydroelectric power generation. What’s most surprising is that these rights have been assigned without any official flow measurement station on the river, only through hydrological models based on nearby stations and without climate projections on future water availability.

In this context, it is essential to understand the Queuco River from a socio-ecological perspective to comprehend the relationships between humans and nature that promote resilience of ecosystems and communities. It is a unique site that requires protection in a time of environmental urgency and profound social changes.

99,98% of water use rights in the basin are currently owned by people and companies who don’t even live in the basin.

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Colaboran

Financian

Beca Doctorado Nacional 2021 n° 21190264, Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Chile.

Beca Canadiense Queen Elisabeth II Scholars Diamond Jubilee Scholarship, York University, Canadá (ver más).

Proyecto Fondecyt Regular n°1190647  “Chilean River Ecosystems: Human Pressures and Resilience”, Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Chile.

Proyecto UCO 2195 Comunidades Sustentables Universidad de Concepción.