Assessment of Natural Hazards and Vulnerability in the Rio Copiapó Catchment: A case study in the ungauged Quebrada Cinchado Catchment

Abstract

Intensive precipitations in desert areas are a very scarce phenomenon. Nevertheless, from time to time these events take place, as in 1997 in Southern Atacama Desert in Chile. The study area within the Copiapó catchment is intensively exploited by mining activities. However, in recent years the landscape has been more and more used for agricultural purposes. Vineyards for grape production are irrigated with water from the Copiapó River and from groundwater aquifers. The agricultural activity is mainly focusing on the flat valley bottoms, as well as drainage lines that become active in cases of precipitation events. Thus, this study seeks to investigate the geo-hazards related to precipitation events in order to quantify the risk for population and agricultural areas. Therefore, this study applies a hydrological model calibrated in the ungauged basin of Quebrada Cinchado. The results demonstrate that events like the one on the 12.06.1997 generate intensive floods and related sediment discharges that endanger population and agricultural areas. The applied methodology allows quantification of flooding and mudflow risks, as well as to assess the spatial distribution of geo-hazards. Evaluación de las amenazas naturales y de la vulnerabilidda en la Cuenca del río Copiapó: El caso de estudio de la subcuenca CinchadoPalabras claves: Desierto de Atacama; Modelo hidrológico, inundaciones, flujo de barro Recibido el 25 de junio de 2012, aceptado el 26 de noviembre de 2012.

Natural disaster preparedness in a multi-hazard environment: Characterizing the sociodemographic profile of those better (worse) prepared

“…The “Altiplanic winter” is the name given to the phenomenon of rainfall between December and March in the north of the country, as a result of moisture originating from the Atlantic Ocean [43]. However, rainfall has occurred during winter produced by the “Altiplanic winter” phenomenon that may intensify and produce extreme hydrometeorological events, due to the presence of weather patterns known as El Niño and La Niña [44].…”

Inverted channel variations identified on a distal portion of a bajada in the central Atacama Desert, Chile

“…Rivers have carved deep canyons into the mountain slopes and transported sediment westward into the PdT basin to form the bajada. Flows within the canyons are rare, with an approximately decadal recurrence interval in the modern era (e.g., Marker et al, 2012 ; Izquierdo et al, 2016 ; Wilcox et al, 2016 ). The groundwater table locally occurs near or at the surface, as evidenced by the presence of halophyte vegetation (especially Prosopis tamarugo trees concentrated along washes) and perennial brine pools (black arrow in Fig.…”

Extreme temperature and precipitation events in March 2015 in central and northern Chile

“…However, some events are also associated with cutoff lows, and these have been observed in both winter and summer. For example, the extreme precipitation event in the Río Copiapó catchment of June 1997 (27.7°S, 70.2°W) featured more than 92 mm of rainfall in 24 h, estimated to be a near 61 year event [Märker et al, 2012]. This event featured a cutoff low centered near 45°S.…”