Successful training in Peru lead by Carlos Palomino Fernandez in the framework of the ProGIRH project

24-26/04/2024 - How can we tackle climate change and build a better future? To better answer this question the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the ProGIRH Project of the German Cooperation (GIZ) collaboratively organised the training workshop "Hydrological modeling and assessment of climate change impacts on water availability" at the National Water Authority (ANA) from April 24 to 26 in Lima, Peru.
Successful training in Peru lead by Carlos Palomino Fernandez in the framework of the ProGIRH project
Source: C. Fernandez

The objective of the workshop was to enhance the knowledge of ANA professionals in hydrological modeling using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to assess the impacts of climate change on water availability, employing reliable climate data in Peru.

Several sessions were organised to provide participants with useful tools to encounter future impacts of climate change on water availability. In a session on 'Hydrological Projections in Peru' participants discussed the dynamics of historical hydrological conditions and potential future hydrological trajectories in Peru, considering various climate change scenarios. Carlos Fernández highlighted that projections suggest an increase in water availability in the Andean basins, with higher risks of floods and potential economic and human impacts. In the lower Amazon, increased water stress is anticipated, affecting ecosystems, river transportation, and food supply.

In the 'RAIN4PE (Rain for Peru and Ecuador)' session, the gridded precipitation product RAIN4PE, developed within the B-EPICC project at PIK was presented. This product merges satellite data, reanalysis, and rain gauges, with additional adjustments of precipitation estimates on the eastern side of the Andes through inverse hydrology to ensure water balance. This makes RAIN4PE a more reliable source for hydro-meteorological applications in the region. RAIN4PE is available at https://doi.org/10.5880/pik.2020.010.

The session 'Regionalized Climate Projections for Peru' featured high-resolution spatially regionalized climate projections for Peru, known as BASD-CMIP6-PE. These projections are useful for assessing the impacts of climate change on sectors such as agriculture, water resources, and hydrological extremes at different scales (national, regional, and local). BASD-CMIP6-PE is available at https://doi.org/10.5880/pik.2023.001.

And finally in a more practical and interactive session, participants learned about the application of the hydrological model to assess present and projected hydrological processes in an Andean basin, using reliable climate data (RAIN4PE and BASD-CMIP6-PE).

According to both participants and organizers, the workshop was a great success. Participants overall acquired knowledge and skills useful for addressing the challenges of climate change and water management as stated the National Water Authority. (Source: linkedin)

Organizer Juan José Rodriguez (leader of the ProGIRH project) stated: "Thanks and congratulations to Carlos A. Fernandez Palomino, the trainer in both Huancayo and Lima sessions, for his exceptional teaching and research skills. We are also grateful to Fred Hattermann's team at PIK - Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, for collaborating with the Autoridad Nacional del Agua of Peru on the ProGIRH project, supported by German cooperation through GIZ ConoSur (Argentina, Chile, Perú)." (Source: linkedin)

Carlos Fernandez added: "It has been a great pleasure to lead the training course on modeling the impacts of climate change on water resources in Peru at the National Water Authority (ANA) from April 24-26. It has been a fruitful experience where I have also learned from the professionals at ANA. I appreciate the collaboration of the ProGIRH project and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) for promoting this event, which allows capacity building in the water and climate change sector. Thanks to the ProGIRH team for the organization." (Source: linkedin)