Project Summary:
Wetlands in Urban Environments of Peru
Graduate students involved in this project will be hosted by the National University of Engineering (UNI), in Lima, Peru, and conduct field work in local area wetlands. Lima is home to approximately 10 million people. Its population has been steadily growing due to migration from smaller cities particularly since the mid-1950s. Due to the need for housing and recreational areas, Lima expanded in all directions from which is Downtown today, near the Rimac River. Several coastal wetlands have undergone significant changes due to anthropogenic actions. Irrigation in the upper basin or nearby areas and terrain modifications have caused an increase in size and depth of water bodies, as well as fragmentation.
Wildlife Refuge Pantanos de Villa (PDV) was a marsh that was converted into a sugar cane farm and industrial complex by the Compañía de Jesús (Jesuits Order) by the end of the 16th century. Agricultural and industrial activities continued until the beginning of the 20th century. Three springs supplied superficial water, and, in addition, it is connected to the Rimac River aquifer through a “bottle neck” formation. In pre-Columbian times, a 26-kilometer irrigation canal built by several cultures supported irrigation in the North to South direction, including the area surrounding PDV. Roads built to provide access for housing developments (including a golf club) acted as barrages that retain water forming deeper water bodies. In time, several water bodies were formed, and nowadays they provide shelter and food for endemic and migratory species. PDV hosts a rich ecosystem nowadays that is protected by law. In 1997, the PDV was declared a RAMSAR site, and it was declared a protected area by the Peruvian Government in 2006.
One housing development occupying the “buffer zone” has been severely affected. The water table was approximately 3 m below the surface when a pump, operated by Lima´s water supply company, was in service. When pumps in the area were decommissioned, the water table rose to near the surface. Besides flooding, wall cracking and other structural failures were reported. Other areas may be affected as liquefaction may occur during an earthquake, causing extensive damage due to the rise of the water table and the sandy nature of the soil. Defining safe areas for housing developments in the vicinity of wetlands may prevent localized disasters from affecting people or even posing a threat to their lives.
Status
This is an ongoing project that was developed with funds from the Office of the Research Provost of the National University of Engineering (UNI). Data has been collected and includes the analysis of a survey that was conducted in the area about the perception that people who live in the area have about the PDV. Current research focuses on the evolution and land changes leading to the formation of the RAMSAR wetland, and the hazards that arise as a combination of natural occurrences (i.e., earthquakes, underground flows, etc.) and anthropogenic actions. In addition, long term sustainability of coastal wetlands is being studied.
Participation of a graduate student in the research project
A graduate student in Civil Engineering, Architecture, or Geography is invited to work with a team of UNI instructors and graduate and undergraduate students. Good knowledge of conversational Spanish is preferable, although final documentation will be written in English. Duties include final systematization of gathered data, field trips to PDV and other coastal wetlands near urban centers, writing reports, creating graphs, producing maps or site plans, and helping write at least one research paper for an indexed journal.
