Reservoir Gone
Gualliguaica, Chile. The Puclaro Reservoir is at around 10 % of it’s peak in 2009, indicated by lines on the mountain in the background. The dam is in the distance. Without the reservoir, farmers, mines and other water users have lost one of their key buffers against drought. Taken April 29, 2013.
Climbing for a better signal
La Serena, Chile. Koen Verbist, a scientist at UNESCO, is my guide and co-conspirator in Coquimbo. Verbist has been a key point of contact for our work in Elqui and has studied and published on the climate variability of the region with IRI scientists. Taken April 29, 2013.
Drylands, Coquimbo
La Serena, Chile. The Coquimbo Region of Chile gets only about 100 mm per year of rainfall. Taken April 29, 2013.
Ruins of Gualliguaica.
Gaulliguaica, Chile. Walls of the old village, which in 2009, when the reservoir levels peaked, lay under 30 meters of water. Taken April 29, 2013.
A River’s Greening Power
La Serena, Chile. The Elqui River and it’s effect on an otherwise dry, brown landscape. Taken April 29, 2013.
Dry Landscape
Elqui River Valley, Chile. Without irrigation and other ways to trap and control water, the land around the Elqui River sustains small shrubs and cacti. Taken April 29, 2012.
Natalia Points
Gualliguaica, Chile. Natalia Edith Codoceo Flores points to the original village of Gualliguaica, where she lived until the 1990 s before it was flooded by the Puclaro Dam. A long lasting drought has diminished the reservoir to 10 % (or less) of it’s capacity. The entire old village is now exposed, as the “reservoir” essentially receded back to the original bed of the Elqui. Taken April 29, 2013.
Drought’s Ghosts
Gualliguaica, Chile. The original village of Gualliguaica, where Natalia Edith Codoceo Flores lived until the 1990 s, was flooded when the Puclaro Dam was built. But the long lasting drought has diminished the reservoir to 10 % (or less) of it’s capacity. The entire old village is now exposed, as the “reservoir” essentially receded back to the original bed of the Elqui. She stands inside an old door frame of a once-submerged house. Taken April 29. 2013.
Natalia and her ghosts
Gualliguaica, Chile. The original village of Gualliguaica, where Natalia Edith Codoceo Flores lived until the 1990 s, was flooded when the Puclaro Dam was built. But the long lasting drought has diminished the reservoir to 10 % (or less) of it’s capacity. The entire old village is now exposed, as the “reservoir” essentially receded back to the original bed of the Elqui. Taken April 29. 2013.