Glaciers and Water in Cusco

PERU
Nilton Montoya Jara
IIUR - UNSAAC
 CONTENT
1. Introduction
2. Area of study
3. Methods
4. Conclusion
5. Aditional information
5. Challenges
 Peru

09.02.2017
Costa - Sierra - Selva
Cordillera Vilcanota
 Cordillera del Vilcanota - Per
Cordillera Blanca, Peru
Tropical Glaciers

Place Km2 % From

Rwenzori 1.7 0.06 1990
Mt. Kenya 0.4 0.01 1993

Kilimanjaro 4.9 0.18 1970

Africa 7 0.25

Irian Jaya 3 0.11 1988

Colombia 108.5 3.92 1950

Venezuela. 2.7 0.1 1950
Equador 112.8 4.08 1970
Peru 1972 71.24 1970
Bolivia 562 20.3 1980
America del Sur 2758 99.64 1950 - 1980
Total 2768 100 1950 - 1990
 1935 Lonnie Thonpsom
OHIO - USA

Collyorritti, Peru

Photo by: Martin Chambi

2006
Lonnie Thonpsom
OHIO - USA
 Lonnie Thonpsom
OHIO - USA

Compton Tucker; NASA

 Lonnie Thonpsom
OHIO - USA

Compton Tucker; NASA

 Cortesa:
Lonnie Thonpsom
OHIO - USA

Compton Tucker; NASA

 The Cordillera Vilcanota contains about 25% of all glaciers in Peru and is the
origin of the Ro Vilcanota-Urubamba, constituting an important national
and regional water resource.
Between 1988 and 2010, the glacier area was reduced from some 360 km2
to 270 km2 with an annual retreat rate of about 4 km2
(Hanshaw and Bookhagen, 2014)
A total ice volume loss of 40-45% is estimated for the time period 1962-
2006 (Salzmann et al. 2013)

Glacier mass balance values had so far not been available, but
in 2010, first measurements have been realized in the frame of PACC Per,
a cooperation initiative between Peru and Switzerland.
since 2013, a 3-year monitoring program has been initiated by a team of
researchers from the UNSAAC Cusco with the help of several institutions.
 Area of study

ASU Meteorological Stations

Area of study
 Methods
1) Direct glaciological method with stakes and snow pits for process
understanding and resolution in time
Combined with:
2) DEM differencing of overall volume/mass changes and calibration of
the measurements
- Airborne LIDAR measurements from May 2013
- Ground-based LIDAR measurements from July and Oct 2015
3) Hydrology Meteorological station in Quisoquipina (SENAMHI) and (2
totalizing rain gauges and 1 stream gauge)

Measurements
Observation of ablation
- July 2010 to July 2011
- October 2013 to October 2015 (13 stakes, every 2-3 months)

Observation of accumulation
- July 2010
- Oct 2013 to Oct 2015 (3 snow pits)
Suyuparina Glacier
Steep, south-west oriented mountain glacier
Maximum altitude: 5469 m asl (17942,91 feet)
Minimum altitude: 5150 m asl (16896,33 feet)
Elevation range: 319 m

The glacier surface is characterized by a strong

micro-topography with ice cliffs and
supraglacial ponds
 CONCLUSIONS

The horizontal ablation on ice cliffs seems to have a

predominant effect on total ablation. There is a great
need to understand more in depth these processes and
their role in the glacier mass balance.
Reliable estimates of the ELA and the annual mass
balance must be made with repeated high-resolution
DEMs.
Long-term mass balance monitoring is planned as part
of internationally coordinated glacier monitoring
(WGMS) and for hydrological modeling in the region.
 SENAMHI
Automatic weather station on the glacier
Quisoquipina - 5180 msnm
 Some resultds
Longwave radiation
and shortwave

Air temperature
Escner de largo alcance
Totalizing rain gauges
 Drones in Glaciers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Ys8TT3
1vg&noredirect=1
Vilcanota River Catchment (Cordillera Vilcanota)
Santa River catchment (Cordillera Blanca)
Discharge trends in both catchments

Discharge trends (1958-2013, m/s)

Seasonal discharge variability
Santa River
negative during JJA
not significant in DJF
Vilcanota River
slightly positive (monthly)
not significant
The glaciers "cushion" the flows

52%
36%
22%
10%
3%

Tropical glacier meltwater contribution to stream

discharge: a case study in the Cordillera Blanca, Per
Mark and Seltzer 2003
Water scarcity and allocation: Hydroclimatic variability: torrential rain and
traditional and export agriculture peak flow at Machu Picchu village (01/2010)

WATER RISKS
Glacier hazards: Palcacocha GLOF Conflicts over water resources:
impacting Huaraz (13.12.1941) lake control and water use
Anlisis de eventos pasados
Red de estaciones
Anlisis de eventos pasados Lluvias diaria max: 46 mm
Lluvia acumulada del mes de
Lluvias torrenciales, Cusco enero: 255 mm
Fecha: Enero 2010

En Dpto del Cusco:

23,370 personas
damnificadas
4,674 viviendas
destruidas
Anlisis de eventos pasados
Lluvias torrenciales, Cusco
Fecha: Enero 2010
Aluvin Machu Picchu - Salcantay, 1998
Aluvin Machu Picchu - Salcantay, 1998
Aluvin Machu Picchu - Salcantay, 1998

Zona de iniciacin del aluvin, desglaciada

Central hidroellectrica Machu Picchu:
Destruccin total por aluvin, 50 millones m3,
Daos ca. USD 100 millones

antes despus
Aluvin Machu Picchu - Salcantay, 1998

EGEMSA/RGSL
Which is a slip?

U.S. Geological Survey

 Zona de iniciacin
Zona de iniciacin
Sedimento con potencial por
ser mobilizado

Schipfenbach,
Suiza
~4000 m3
 Transport zone
 Zona de transporte

Arrival of a
debris flow
front (video)

From the Illgraben

observation station,
Susten (VS)
Depth: 2m
Velocity: 5 m/s
Density: 2000 kg/m3
Total volume:
30000 m3
Factores influenciando la detonacin de deslizamientos/avalanchas:

Lluvia
Caractersticas fsicas del suelo
Vegetacin
Topografa
Uso del suelo
Factores influenciando la detonacin de deslizamientos/avalanchas:

Lluvia:
Precipitacin total
Intensidad de la precipitacin
Duracin de la precipitacin
Lluvia antecedente

Caractersticas fsicas del suelo

Porosidad y su distribucin en el suelo
Conductividad hidraulica
Redes de flujo
Saturacin del suelo
Factores influenciando la detonacin de deslizamientos/avalanchas:

Vegetacin:
Tipo de vegetacin (rboles, pasto, etc.)
Densidad
Profundidad de las raices

Topografa:
Pendiente/inclinacin
Curvatura
Altura
Sistema de valles

Uso del suelo:

Deforestacin
Uso por ganado
Estructuras, canalizacin del flujo
Parmetros que pueden ser monitoreados:

Antes del deslizamiento/avalancha:

Lluvia (pluvimetros)
Presin hidraulica en los poros del suelo (piezmetros)
Deformacin del suelo
Visualmente

Durante el deslizamiento/avalancha:
Caudales (niveles)
Rudo/tremor (gefonos)
Visualmente (camera)
 Datos histricos de
SENAMHI

Meteorolgica (M)
- Funcionando
- No funcionando

Hidrolgica (H)
- Funcionando
- No funcionando

Seite 56
Medir precipitacin
 Medir temperatura del aire
Minimum-Maximum-Thermometer Maximale
Temperatur

Minimale
Temperatur
Temperatura
Pumping system
Drinking water system
Thank you for your attention
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTUi3JTu
Rys