After the experience obtained in Guatemala, the WWF Guatemala / Mesoamerica team began a scientific study in the Manchaguala watershed to determine the provenance of water in certain areas.
This study establishes the charge of isotopes, from rainwater samples, surface runoff and groundwater aquifers. With this field research, it is possible to know from which part of a watershed comes the water used in a company, community or a city. From this, the users of a watershed -in this case, Manchaguala- may be certain that, by conserving the watershed, they are protecting their own source of water for the future.
The beginning of this study included the installation of the necessary equipment to perform these measurements, such as 12 rainwater collectors, as well as climate stations. The first stage of this study will last 18 months and as the study progresses, more collectors will be installed, to reach a total of 25 approximately.
In the watersheds of Pasabien in Zacapa, Guatemala and Villalobos in the metropolitan area of that country, the study achieved the expected results. The users in both watershed now have the certainty of the importance of carrying out actions to conserve the watersheds that supplies them. Science-based conservation has proven to be decisive for decision making in both cases.
Learn more about the isotopes study here.