198
J. Fluixá-Sanmartín et al.
In general, the EWS had a positive impact on affected communities and a good
reception by local authorities as well as social services and civil defense; the assimilation of the system by the main stakeholders was satisfying.
However, this pioneer system faces some challenges, especially when it comes
to the proper functioning of electronic components (such as sensors, signal broadcasters, and batteries). The lack of continuous base data makes the definition of the
geophone’s warning alert thresholds yet difficult. More implication of other technical fields such as electronics is required to overcome these issues. Moreover, the
involvement of key actors and the communication with them must be redefined.
By identifying these problems and weaknesses, a second phase was outlined, in
which a multipurpose approach would enlarge the scope of the project and optimize
the outputs. The goal of this second phase of the project (“Glaciares+, Risk Management and the Productive Use of Water from Glaciers”) is to complete and provide
continuity to the various unfinished processes from first phase, especially the implementation of adaptation measures to the EWS. As the main outcome of this phase,
the system needs to achieve full sustainability to guarantee that the processes and
activities necessary for monitoring and reducing glacier-related risks are maintained
over time, generating constant and permanent results.
NOTE This article was written in May 2016; at this time, the EWS was intact and
fully functional. In November 2016, a group of people accessed the monitoring
station at Laguna 513 and destroyed its main components (Fraser 2017), rendering
it completely useless. However, the authors consider that the lessons learned until
then are still valid and of interest for the design, implementation, and improvement
of such systems.
Acknowledgements The studies and works presented in this paper have been conducted under and
with support of the “Proyecto Glaciares”, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), executed by CARE Peru, the University of Zurich, CREALP, Meteodat, Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), and local partners such as the Unidad de Glaciología y
Recursos Hídricos, Autoridad Nacional de Agua (UGRH, ANA), and others such as the Ministerio
de Ambiente, Peru (MINAM) and the National Park Service (SERNANP). We acknowledge the
collaboration of several further colleagues of these institutions.
References
ANA (Autoridad Nacional del Agua), Inventario Nacional de Glaciares y Lagunas (Huaraz, 2014)
Bulmer, M. H., & Farquhar, T. (2010). Design and installation of a Prototype Geohazard Monitoring
System near Machu Picchu, Peru. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 10, 2031–2038.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-10-2031-2010.
Carey, M., Huggel, C., Bury, J., Portocarrero, C., & Haeberli, W. (2012). An integrated socioenvironmental framework for climate change adaptation and glacier hazard management: Lessons
from Lake 513, Cordillera Blanca. Peru. Climatic Change, 112(3–4), 733–767. https://doi.org/
10.1007/s10584-011-0249-8.
J. Fluixá-Sanmartín et al.
In general, the EWS had a positive impact on affected communities and a good
reception by local authorities as well as social services and civil defense; the assimilation of the system by the main stakeholders was satisfying.
However, this pioneer system faces some challenges, especially when it comes
to the proper functioning of electronic components (such as sensors, signal broadcasters, and batteries). The lack of continuous base data makes the definition of the
geophone’s warning alert thresholds yet difficult. More implication of other technical fields such as electronics is required to overcome these issues. Moreover, the
involvement of key actors and the communication with them must be redefined.
By identifying these problems and weaknesses, a second phase was outlined, in
which a multipurpose approach would enlarge the scope of the project and optimize
the outputs. The goal of this second phase of the project (“Glaciares+, Risk Management and the Productive Use of Water from Glaciers”) is to complete and provide
continuity to the various unfinished processes from first phase, especially the implementation of adaptation measures to the EWS. As the main outcome of this phase,
the system needs to achieve full sustainability to guarantee that the processes and
activities necessary for monitoring and reducing glacier-related risks are maintained
over time, generating constant and permanent results.
NOTE This article was written in May 2016; at this time, the EWS was intact and
fully functional. In November 2016, a group of people accessed the monitoring
station at Laguna 513 and destroyed its main components (Fraser 2017), rendering
it completely useless. However, the authors consider that the lessons learned until
then are still valid and of interest for the design, implementation, and improvement
of such systems.
Acknowledgements The studies and works presented in this paper have been conducted under and
with support of the “Proyecto Glaciares”, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), executed by CARE Peru, the University of Zurich, CREALP, Meteodat, Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), and local partners such as the Unidad de Glaciología y
Recursos Hídricos, Autoridad Nacional de Agua (UGRH, ANA), and others such as the Ministerio
de Ambiente, Peru (MINAM) and the National Park Service (SERNANP). We acknowledge the
collaboration of several further colleagues of these institutions.
References
ANA (Autoridad Nacional del Agua), Inventario Nacional de Glaciares y Lagunas (Huaraz, 2014)
Bulmer, M. H., & Farquhar, T. (2010). Design and installation of a Prototype Geohazard Monitoring
System near Machu Picchu, Peru. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 10, 2031–2038.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-10-2031-2010.
Carey, M., Huggel, C., Bury, J., Portocarrero, C., & Haeberli, W. (2012). An integrated socioenvironmental framework for climate change adaptation and glacier hazard management: Lessons
from Lake 513, Cordillera Blanca. Peru. Climatic Change, 112(3–4), 733–767. https://doi.org/
10.1007/s10584-011-0249-8.