220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b-8b263a4fd3e17cc8.pdf

This SEI fact sheet examines the impact of land-use change, deforestation, and decentralized water infrastructure on the hydrology of the Chiquitano dry forest in Bolivia, specifically within the Santa Cruz Department. It highlights the proliferation of 'atajados' (artificial storage ponds) and groundwater wells driven by agricultural expansion, noting that these unregulated diversions are not currently represented in regional hydrologic models and may threaten downstream ecosystems and water availability.

• The Chiquitano dry forest in Bolivia is threatened by megafires and deforestation resulting from rapidly changing land use, which increases pressure on surface and groundwater resources from urban and agricultural users.
• Agricultural expansion, particularly for cattle grazing, is driving significant land and water use changes. In the San Ignacio de Velasco district, annual deforestation rates rose from 30 square kilometres per year in 2005 to 210 square kilometres in 2018.
• Research identified a significant amount of unlined artificial surface water storage, known as atajados, primarily used for cattle. Remote sensing identified 31.6 million cubic metres of such storage, which represents 18.7% of the full natural flow of the surveyed catchments during the driest month, yet this is not included in current hydrologic models.
• Groundwater extraction is increasing, with 361 wells verified in sampled communities; over half were drilled after 2000. Of the 146 wells with electric pumps, more than one-third were drilled in the last 10 years, with an estimated capacity of 257,437 cubic metres per month.
• The construction of atajados and agricultural land-clearing may disrupt natural hydrology by reducing deep percolation and baseflow while increasing surface runoff. This can lead to excessively low baseflows in the dry season, potentially impacting downstream users and ecosystems, similar to patterns observed in California's northern forests.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). 220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b-8b263a4fd3e17cc8.pdf. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. 220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b-8b263a4fd3e17cc8.pdf. n.d. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b-8b263a4fd3e17cc8.pdf |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutend220122aburtonmautneratajadosfactsheet2114b8b263a4fd3e17cc8pdf, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b-8b263a4fd3e17cc8.pdf}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/220122a-burton-mautner-atajados-fact-sheet-2114b.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }