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Revising regionalized water scarcity characterization factors for selected watersheds along the hyper-arid Peruvian coast using the AWARE method

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment volume 28, pages 1447–1465 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

The Peruvian coast is known for its low water availability and high water demand, which is mainly satisfied by groundwater sources. The current study develops regionalized water scarcity characterization factors (CFs) based on the available water remaining (AWARE) method for eight selected watersheds located along the hyper-arid Peruvian coast. Furthermore, the paper proposes water scarcity CFs for groundwater in six watersheds, which are not available in current methods.

Methods

The regionalization of water scarcity CFs along the Peruvian coast was based on the following: (i) national delineation of hydrological units (HUs), (b) use of primary data on water availability and demand provided by official water balance reports and national databases, (c) use of the ecological flow values recommended by national authorities, and (d) proposal of specific water scarcity CFs for groundwater. Moreover, the results of the updated CFs were compared to those from the original CFs from AWARE. A sensitivity analysis, including recalculated CFs based on future climate change scenarios, was also provided. Thereafter, water scarcity impacts for grape and avocado production available in the scientific literature were recalculated based on previous studies with the new CFs.

Results and discussion

Results revealed significant differences between updated and original water scarcity CFs in both geographical and temporal (i.e., monthly) terms. Hence, updated CFs showed that all watersheds selected experience high levels of water scarcity, especially from June to October, a more realistic scenario than that showed with original water scarcity CFs when confronted to water availability values. Meanwhile, water scarcity CFs for groundwater showed intense pressure all year round for the three main sources of groundwater (i.e., Chillon, Rimac, and Lurin aquifers) that provide water to the city of Lima, whereas only one groundwater watershed showed low water scarcity (i.e., Mala-Omas aquifer).

Conclusions

Updated water scarcity CFs provide a watershed-based quantification of water scarcity in the hyper-arid Peruvian coast, which we consider more realistic as compared to the original CFs. Moreover, the water scarcity CFs proposed for groundwater allow estimating the pressure over aquifers in a higher level of disaggregation, which can be used to monitor the overexploitation of groundwater sources in an area that is highly dependent on these water sources.

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Data availability

All data generated during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the European Research Executive Agency for funding the BAMBOO Project (101059379), as well as Drs. Ramzy Kahhat, Karin Bartl, and Gustavo Larrea-Gallegos for valuable scientific exchange. Dr. Joan Sanchez-Matos wishes to thank the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Tecnológica (CONCYTEC) from the Peruvian government for funding his postdoctoral contract PE501080172-2022-PROCIENCIA.

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  1. Peruvian Life Cycle Assessment & Industrial Ecology Network (PELCAN), Department of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Avenida Universitaria 1801, San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru

    Joan Sanchez-Matos & Ian Vázquez-Rowe

  2. Inèdit Innovació, S.L. UAB Research Park, 08193, Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain

    Edilene Pereira Andrade

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Sanchez-Matos, J., Andrade, E.P. & Vázquez-Rowe, I. Revising regionalized water scarcity characterization factors for selected watersheds along the hyper-arid Peruvian coast using the AWARE method. Int J Life Cycle Assess 28, 1447–1465 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-023-02195-5

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