The initiative began to take shape after AquaChile ended its aquaculture production in lakes in 2019.
Proyecta Comunicaciones
AquaChile, Chile Lagos Limpios Foundation, Innovex, University of California Davis' Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC), and Patagonian Ecosystem Research Center CIEP have launched an online monitoring project that aims to analyze and protect the water quality of Lake Riesco, Chile.
Therefore, research and science centers in the region will have access to valuable data for the care and protection of the Aysén ecosystem. Lake Riesco is located in Chilean Patagonia and faces several challenges due to rapid urban growth and climate change impacts.
Additionally, the project seeks to raise awareness in Puerto Aysén and Puerto Chacabuco communities so they can plan protection measures and allow governments and businesses to use the water resources more effectively and sustainably.
The initiative began to take shape after AquaChile ended its aquaculture production in lakes in 2019. Lake Llanquihue already has three real-time online monitoring stations similar to the ones that will be developed in Lake Riesco.
"This joint effort has allowed for an extensive monitoring of more than 25,000 hours of data, revealing the main factors impacting Lake Llanquihue's water quality, as well as the movement of pollutants entering from urban and agricultural areas," Fernando Coz, Executive Director of the Fundación Chile Lagos Limpios assured.
Innovex General Manager, Patricio Catalán explained that the project consists of various types of oxygen sensors at 10 different depths, down to 150 meters, and a weather station that measures wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity.
In more detail, Giovani Danneri, executive director of CIEP, noted: "CIEP has experience in the installation of lake monitoring buoys, led for several years by Dr. Reid, and we hope to contribute to this project with that expertise."
Moreover, Geoff Schladow, the director of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center indicated: "For the first time, we will be conducting continuous and real-time monitoring of a lake in Aysén, a unique region with nearly pristine lakes. In addition to developing a solid scientific foundation to understand the lake for its future preservation and management, the data will be used in our public education efforts, especially with school-aged children in this growing region."
Finally, the General Manager of AquaChile, Sady Delgado, said: "This project is a significant step towards providing rigorous scientific information that will enable authorities to make decisions in the future to protect Lago Riesco."