Hacia la resiliencia hídrica en paisajes urbano-amazónicos: Estrategias para Tarapoto y la microcuenca del Río Cumbaza (Perú)

This policy brief analyzes water security in Tarapoto and the Cumbaza River micro-basin in Peru, highlighting that 85% of the micro-basin is degraded. It identifies risks such as increased sediment loads affecting urban water treatment for 40,000 people and water scarcity for rice and aquaculture farmers during the dry season. The report advocates for 'green infrastructure'—specifically the restoration of 4,500 hectares of forest by 2040-2050—and the strengthening of the Cumbaza Micro-basin Management Committee (CGMC) to improve governance and climate resilience.

• Environmental degradation and climate change, specifically precipitation variability and peak flows, are compromising water security in the Cumbaza River micro-basin.
• Significant deforestation occurred in the micro-basin between 1977 and 2005, with 58% of forest cover lost. Currently, approximately 85% of the total surface area (57,120 hectares) is considered degraded, leaving only 8,500 hectares (15%) of remaining forests.
• Increased sediment loads in the Shilcayo, Cachiyacu, and Ahuashiyacu rivers—the primary water sources for Tarapoto—hinder the operation of the water treatment system managed by EMAPA San Martín, affecting 40,000 urban users.
• The agricultural sector, particularly rice production on 3,500 hectares and aquaculture, faces water scarcity during the dry season (May to September). Current supply (2 to 3 m3/s) and a 50% loss in the irrigation canal system fail to meet the sector's demand of 2.7 m3/s, impacting over 4,000 families.
• Future projections for 2050 indicate that the population in the micro-basin will grow from 177,367 to 335,000, and agricultural water demand from the Cumbaza River could reach 151 million m3/year, which is double the current consumption.
• To ensure water security, the report recommends recovering 3,000 hectares in the upper micro-basin by 2040 to secure base flows, and recovering at least 20% (approximately 1,500 hectares) of degraded areas in the Ahuashiyacu and Shilcayo sub-basins by 2050 to improve sediment retention.
• Effective water governance requires strengthening multi-actor platforms, such as the Cumbaza Micro-basin Management Committee (CGMC), to coordinate resources, avoid duplication of interventions, and integrate monitoring systems.

APA

Sabogal, D., Carlos, G., Del Castillo, M., & Willems, B. (2018). Hacia la resiliencia hídrica en paisajes urbano-amazónicos: Estrategias para Tarapoto y la microcuenca del Río Cumbaza (Perú). Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Nexus-in-Tarapato-Peru_policy-brief.pdf

Chicago

Sabogal, David, Guillermo Carlos, Martha Del Castillo, and Bram Willems. Hacia la resiliencia hídrica en paisajes urbano-amazónicos: Estrategias para Tarapoto y la microcuenca del Río Cumbaza (Perú). Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2018. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Nexus-in-Tarapato-Peru_policy-brief.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sabogal |first1=David |last2=Carlos |first2=Guillermo |last3=Del Castillo |first3=Martha |last4=Willems |first4=Bram |title=Hacia la resiliencia hídrica en paisajes urbano-amazónicos: Estrategias para Tarapoto y la microcuenca del Río Cumbaza (Perú) |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=May 2018 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Nexus-in-Tarapato-Peru_policy-brief.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sabogal2018hacia, author = {Sabogal, David and Carlos, Guillermo and Del Castillo, Martha and Willems, Bram}, title = {{Hacia la resiliencia hídrica en paisajes urbano-amazónicos: Estrategias para Tarapoto y la microcuenca del Río Cumbaza (Perú)}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2018}, month = may, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Nexus-in-Tarapato-Peru_policy-brief.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }