PROYECTO PUENTE 2024-2025

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Indicación: Para escribir la propuesta considere

- El tema de seguridad hídrica y como su evidencia científica aporte a los ODS
- Su propuesta debe considerer los 4 objetivos de CRHIAM
- Se adjunta listado de investigadores para escribir su propuesta y la consideración de mejorar la
interdisciplina en CRHIAM
- Se adjunta archive con la información principal de CRHIAM (objetivos, investigadores, definición
de seguridad hídrica, definición de ODS)

RL5. Water governance, ecosystem services, and sustainability

ESCRIBIR EN INGLES

Se
 a. Describe the main results achieved by the RL5 in its previous years of existence (1 pages).

The most relevant products of RL5 have been translated to a series of books and scientific publications.

Common Goods, Cultural Biodiversity in Crisis Times: Water scarcity, Pandemics and Climate Change, edited
by Dr. Jorge Rojas, Patricio Silva, Ricardo Barra, Ricardo Figueroa, José Luis Arumi and Gunhild Hansen
(2021). It provides a reflection on the issue of adaptation to water scarcity, opening an opportunity to look
back to traditional and indigenous knowledge as a source for adaptation to water shortage periods. The
research team agreed that the issue of water as a common good is a basic condition to improve its
management, as demonstrated by the traditional practices of the first nations in Chile. Rojas et al. (2021)
addressed the issue of local knowledge and the role of collaboration in facing both pandemics and climate
change challenges in a bottom-up approach, in which social resilience relies on community values. The
COVID-19 pandemic also presents an opportunity to rethink local possibilities to improve resilience and face
global challenges such as climate change and the associated multi-crisis.

Jose Luis Arumí, together with former CRHIAM researcher Dr. Verónica Delgado, released a book in 2021
addressing the Chilean model of groundwater regulation: A Critique from Environmental Law and
Environmental Sciences (2021), in which a series of recommendations are made for decision makers. It is
important to note that this is one of the first legal books written by lawyers and engineers in Chile.

Dr. Jorge Rojas together with colleagues from the University of Jena (Dr. Klaus Dorre) in Germany, edited a
book called: Global Socioecological Transformations: Postpandemic Society, Climate Change, Nature and
Democracy (RIL edition in Spanish). This book represents and international effort for understanding the
societal transformations and how we the Latin-American societies are adapting to these challenges. This
book included a chapter written by the current Ministry of the Environment in Chile Dr. Maisa Rojas (an
expert in Climate Change) and a Chapter on water and education by the CRHIAM researcher Dr. Ricardo
Barra.

In addition, we have contributed to the discussion on desalination technology and the need to build a proper
regulatory body to address the issue of water rights and the environmental impacts of this technology (Alvez
et al, 2021, 2022), one of the tools Chile must address water scarcity both for productive activities and
communities. A discussion on where to set up desalination facilities was proposed by Garcia Bartolomei et
al, and it was concluded that there is not much geographical space when considering restrictions such as
natural protected areas, artisanal fisheries, energy, and infrastructure available for transporting the
produced desalinated water.

A third aspect where this research line contributed with some insights was the water governance in the
frame of the current regulatory framework. We proposed in many different papers a polycentric governance
ecosystem for a proper water management considering the watershed scale as a natural boundaries for such
governance, that of course needs the participation of all stakeholders including the non-water rights owners
(Julio et al 2022, Quevedo et al, 2022)

Finally, the contribution of the Ecosystem services approach may help to build knowledge and capacities for
addressing the complexity of negative drivers of climate change loss of biodiversity and pollution over water
quality and quantity.
 b. Describe the research proposal, including objectives, research activities and expected results (1
page).

Water security depends on a correct distribution of the water supply to satisfy the demands of this element.
This seemingly simple phrase requires knowing the availability of water, of any kind; quantify the different
demands that exist in a territory and generate mechanisms that allow to satisfy the demands while
minimizing the conflicts that may occur, under a condition of high climatic and eco-social uncertainty and
within the framework of public policies and current legislation. In addition, it is important to consider that
each basin or territory responds to the characteristics of its landscape and social, cultural, and economic
conditions, which is why tools are required adaptation to the territorial particularities for multidimensional
water management. This will be especially relevant when the creation of Basin Councils in Chile is proposed,
through the initiative of the Inter ministerial Committee for a Just Water Transition.

Basin councils had been proposed for Chile for more that 30 years, but they had not been implemented. It is
a current consensus that we need to move towards and integrated water management strategy at a basin
scale. However, currently there are some barriers for implementing this idea and therefore we want to
collaborate on this initiative through our research. Some of the existing barriers belong to the regulatory
body, other to the required information about water demands, water availability and water quality to
ensure satisfying all the users without compromising water security.

Our main objective is to develop a solid scientific understanding of the interactive complexities between
competing waters users and available water resources under the uncertainty conditions of current
regulatory scenario of private water rights and drought.

Our specific objectives are:

1. To investigate the actors that exist within a select group of basins to identify what type of organizations
exist, the legislation that influences the territory, to understand how to develop water governance.

Selected basins are: Rapel, Itata and Biobio rivers which had been selected to start Basin Councils

2. To advance on the definition and quantification of ecosystem and social demands, to incorporate those
demands on water balances.

In recent years we have seen a sharp increase in social demands for water, and recent legislation tends
to recognize these demands. To achieve water security, it is important to quantify these demands, to
have the necessary flow to satisfy them.

3. To incorporate management concepts into the water balance, including marginal savings when
considering different sources of water (seawater or treated wastewater), water transfer, quality mixes,
and energy savings.

Expected results of our research over this period is to contribute with the scientific basis for helping to
implement basin councils with a proper knowledge of the hydro social cycle in each of the selected
basins as well as to contribute with a framework for achieving water security considering the
restrictions imposed by the regulatory body and the societal changes (including the climate
impacts). Capacity building in each geographical area should also be considered as an outcome.
 c. Describe how further research activities will continue to be carried out in a coordinated and
associated manner that contribute, as a whole, to address an issue(s) or objective(s). (1/2 page)

Our work is aligned with the four objectives of the center related to: research, human training, networking,
and the contribution to better water management.

An important component of the research is developed through graduate thesis. Also, students of our related
undergraduate and graduate programs are directly benefited by their thesis, participation in special course,
or activities and indirectly using the material made by CRHIAM.

Because of CRHIAM activities we already have an important national and international networking which will
be focused on the fulfillment of the goals proposed for the next two years. Moreover, an important
component of our networking are stakeholders and therefore we will naturally contribute to improve water
management through the develop of join activities like research, workshops or training courses.

d) Describe new actions that will lead to the association of the team of principal investigators in order to
address common objectives. Describe new activities, as well as, the effective interaction with national
and foreign researchers (1/2 page)

The study of water management needs an interdisciplinary approach because it involves the contribution of
different scientific disciplines like hydrology, soil science, geology, environmental sciences, social sciences,
geographer, and many other disciplines that are involved in this topic

Special mention needs to be made to the fact that the International Association of Hydrologist Sciences
(IAHS) defines the next scientific decade as “Science for solutions: Hydrology Engaging Local People IN one
Global world (HELPING)”. This definition is directly aligned with our proposal, and therefore shows that
many water-related scientific worldwide are working on similar topics that we propose in this document.

However, due to the two-years extension of this proposal we will work on the strengthen of previous
collaboration with other researchers of the center and international colleagues, trought the elaboration of
thematic workshops that will allow us to identify common interest ideas and to continuing or develop
collaborations.

We also will work on the science policy interface, promoting the science to action initiative that means how
to translate the results of our research in a more impactful outcomes in the geographical areas defined in
this two year projects. This may be conducted through a series of activities such as short courses, seminars,
dialogues, webinars, workshops, capacity building initiatives such as the current Diploma course etc. The
identification of opinion leaders is a keystone for initiating the dialogue as well as engage local stakeholders
motivated for achieving water security at the local/basin scale.
 e) Indicate new actions leading to national and international collaborations (1/2 page)

Nota desde CRHIAM: Cada IP debe incluir cartas de respaldo de nexo Internacional. Cuando
abra la postulación al proyecto puente, tendremos una fecha para solicitarlas. Se adjunta un
formato de carta que se solicitarla)

Regarding National collaboration, we propose the development of two thematic online workshops each
year, that will allow the exchange of ideas and experiences between researchers and water management
stakeholders.

A summer school for graduate students on “water and society issues” is also be proposed as a capacity
building activity.

“Science to action” in water issues is also another activity to be promoted in the frame of this proposal.
Principal Researcher Name: Ricardo Barra

Main Research Activities:

- Science to action, how to promote the role of science for policy making
- Strategies for a new water quality monitoring framework involving civil society.
- Progress towards Sustainable Development Goals, understanding the barriers and trade offs.
- Upgrading water quality regulations
- Emerging issues for water management

Associate Researchers

- Dr. Ricardo Figueroa, Dr. Roberto Urrutia, Dr. Leopoldo Gutiérrez, Dr. Pedro Toledo, Dr. Gladys
Vidal, Dr. Marcela Salgado, Dr. Jose Luis Arumi, Dr. Roberto Ponce, Dr. Roberto Urrutia, Dr.
Jorge Rojas, Dr. Robinson Torres, Dr. Amaya Alvez.

All these researchers are part of the different research lines of CRHIAM and make research of interest
for the science to action initiative in both water demand, water availability, sustainable development
goals, water quality and governance.

Description

- Establishing research of excellence also requires a strong link of international and national
networks, so the engagement of new partners will be a priority in this next project.
- Learning of a good practices for other science to action initiatives that may be implemented in
Chile
- Progress towards SDGs, addressing the gaps.
- Interdisciplinary engagement on the solutions provided to the new basin councils.(i.e social
acceptance of provided solutions)
- Understanding the tradeoffs of the solutions provided by science
- Barriers for the implementation of solutions
- Framework for an effective monitoring of water quality

(Complete for each principal researcher including Director and Deputy Director).
Principal Researcher Name: José Luis Arumi

Main Research Activities:

To improve the understanding of mountain systems to groundwater recharge

• Study the contribution of snowmelt to groundwater recharge.
• Analyzed how hydrogeological characteristics of the groundwater fractured rock system
that contribute to recharge.
• Study the impact of land use change and climate change on the water quality of the
groundwater that is used for drinking water, irrigation, and ecosystem support.

To improve AGR using irrigation canals as acclimate change mitigation measure.

• To identify the feasibility of AGR using the concept of seed and harvest water to induce
AGR bay the winter management of irrigation canals located at the appropriated recharge
areas of the aquifers systems.
• To depth on the study of irrigation canal management to make compatible irrigation water
conduction in summer with AGR in winter

Associate Researchers

- Octavio Lagos (irrigation) Mario Lillo and Marcela Salgado (Hydro-social aspects), Pedro Toledo,
Ricardo Barra, Roberto Urrutia on water quality and Ricardo Oyarzún on hydrology.

Those are researchers which I have been conducting related to RL5, and therefore I have the chance to
project collaborative research in the next two years. I may incorporate new researchers to the extent
that I could meet them, at some activities promoted by the direction of the center.,

Description

Developed through graduate thesis (two doctorate and two master level). Also, students of our
related undergraduate and graduate programs are directly benefited by their thesis,
participation in special course, or activities and indirectly using the material made by CRHIAM.

We already have an important national and international networking which will be focused on
the fulfillment of the goals proposed for the next two years. Moreover, an important
component of our networking is stakeholders and therefore we will naturally contribute to
improving water management through the development of join activities like research,
workshops or training courses.

True the elaboration of thematic workshops that will allow us to identify common interest
ideas and to continuing or develop collaborations.

(Complete for each principal researcher including Director and Deputy Director).