PLAN DIRECTOR DE LA CUENCA DEL RÍO PAMPA HUARI

This executive summary details the Master Plan for the Pampa Huari River Basin (Plan Director de la Cuenca del Río Pampa Huari - PDCPH), developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) under the Bolivia WATCH program. The plan employs a Robust Decision Support (ADR) framework to address critical water scarcity, pollution from mining and urban waste, and land degradation in the Potosí department of Bolivia. It establishes a strategic roadmap across five lines of action: ecosystem restoration, sustainable water and sanitation, efficient agricultural irrigation, mining impact mitigation, and institutional capacity building.

• The Pampa Huari River Basin is a strategic headwater for the transboundary Pilcomayo River, covering a drainage area of approximately 1,200 km², which expands to 1,300 km² when including the San Juan river intake and Kari Kari headwaters that supply Potosí city.
• Water quality in the basin is severely compromised, with numerous rivers classified as 'Class E', meaning they are unsuitable for human consumption even with treatment due to contamination from mining activities and urban wastewater from Potosí.
• Climate change and population growth in Potosí are identified as the primary external uncertainties affecting the water system. Future scenarios suggest a potential decrease in average flow of up to 20%, which would negatively impact base flow and groundwater recharge.
• Mining is a dominant economic activity but a major source of environmental degradation; the basin contains 264 Mining Environmental Liabilities (PAM), including tailings dams and acid waters, with the Cerro Rico de Potosí Mining Complex (PH-79) being the most impacted area.
• Agricultural productivity is low due to water scarcity and poor soil management. While there are approximately 3,200 hectares of rain-fed agriculture and 670 hectares under irrigation, many irrigation systems are in poor condition, leading to food insecurity.
• Rural water and sanitation services are highly vulnerable; 35% of the 40 evaluated communities receive less than 50 liters of water per inhabitant per day, and approximately 80% of these communities practice open defecation.
• The plan prioritizes three micro-basins for Integrated Water Resources Management (GIRH) and Integrated Basin Management (MIC): Kari Kari (water source protection for Potosí), Santa Lucia (erosion reversal and pedagogical model), and Villacollo (biodiversity and irrigation protection).
• To improve water security, the plan proposes the construction of the La Puerta Wastewater Treatment Plant (PTAR La Puerta) in Potosí and the reuse of its treated effluent for agricultural irrigation in the Huancarani hydrological unit.
• The PDCPH was developed using a participatory approach and the Robust Decision Support (ADR) framework, integrating analytical tools such as WEAP, WASH-FLOWS, and REVAMP to evaluate various future scenarios.
• An Inter-institutional Platform was established in April 2021 to strengthen water governance, comprising a Board of Directors and a Technical Council with representatives from municipal, departmental, and national government levels.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). PLAN DIRECTOR DE LA CUENCA DEL RÍO PAMPA HUARI. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/pdc-pampa-huari-resumen-ejecutivo.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. PLAN DIRECTOR DE LA CUENCA DEL RÍO PAMPA HUARI. n.d. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/pdc-pampa-huari-resumen-ejecutivo.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=PLAN DIRECTOR DE LA CUENCA DEL RÍO PAMPA HUARI |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/pdc-pampa-huari-resumen-ejecutivo.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutendplan, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{PLAN DIRECTOR DE LA CUENCA DEL RÍO PAMPA HUARI}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/pdc-pampa-huari-resumen-ejecutivo.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }