Impacts of hydroclimatic variability and water policies in the Lagunas de Guanacache (San Juan, Mendoza and San Luis, Argentina): when management concludes at the dams
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Abstract
Guanacache Lagoons is a system of wetlands, marshes and lagoons associated with the Desaguadero River in the Cuyo region, central-west Argentina. In the upper stretches of the basins of the main rivers that feed this lagoons system, there is a large consumption of water resources and a high degree of intervention through hydraulic infrastructure built for water management. This situation began at the end of the 19th century, with the consolidation of the National State and provincial states. The outcome is a fragmented and unequal territorial configuration, where the resulting artificial oases occupy 3% and concentrate more than 95% of the population. The consequences are the degradation of the Guanacache system, making it imperative to implement comprehensive regional policies for its restoration. Therefore, the objectives of the present work are to quantify the temporal variations in the streamflow and spatial extent of the water bodies of the lagoon system, to explore the relationship with climatic fluctuations that modulate the regional surface hydrology over the last few years, and to establish the role of the construction of various engineering