Doctoral Dissertation Research: Assessing the Hydrologic Implications of Glacier Recession and the Potential for Water Resources Vulnerability at Volcan Chimborazo, Ecuador

Ohio State University, The, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

The rapid retreat of mountain glaciers is a notable consequence of global climate change. Glaciers help ensure the viability of downstream irrigation systems, hydroelectric facilities, and domestic water supplies during otherwise dry periods and therefore significant ice loss in the world's mountain areas is a water resource management issue of paramount concern. In Ecuador, 35% of Volcán Chimborazo's glacier cover has been lost in the past quarter century. Located in a semi-arid portion of the Ecuadorian Andes, Chimborazos glaciers serve as headwaters for four river systems, upon which more than 200,000 people directly rely for their water supply. At present, very little is known about the exact role these glaciers play in the hydrologic system of the mountain or the specific water usage patterns of the people living in the catchment area. This research project will address these uncertainties by answering the following questions: How fast are Chimborazo's glaciers melting, how much further will they melt under various climate change scenarios, how will additional glacier retreat impact overall water supply, and how socially and economically vulnerable are watershed stakeholders to these potential hydrologic changes? This project employs an integrative methodological approach that combines data analysis from hydrology, climatology and glaciology as well as integrative modeling, analysis of remotely-sensed data, and qualitative social science research techniques such as focus groups and key-informant interviews to answer the questions it has posed. This research has the potential to assist the people of Chimborazo in identifying spatial and temporal patterns of potential water resource vulnerability and better position them to make informed water management decisions in the face of potentially disruptive changes to their hydrologic environment. The results of this study will therefore provide critical guidance to a range of internal (watershed stakeholders) and external (governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations) actors seeking to understand and mitigate local impacts resulting from global climate change. Furthermore, the methodology employed in this research will be of particular interest to others who seek to move past traditional disciplinary divisions in order to perform similar research.