Dams to store rainwater
Albarradas are artificial wetlands with slow-moving waters, which have long been known in South America under various names such as jagüeyes, ciénagas, represas or lagunas.
The albarradas are artificial lentic wetlands. They have been known since ancient times in South America as jagüeyes, ciénagas, represas or simply lagoons. In the coastal region of Ecuador, they are currently known as Albarradas. They are hydraulic constructions that have well-defined earth walls, their shapes are varied: circular, semicircular (horseshoe or circular), elongated (with a tail). They are filled by a process of slow accumulation of rainwater, coming from the runoff produced by the topography of the terrain. They can also be filled with water from small channels that are generated in the rainy seasons that may belong to an initial fluvial order.
Water production and storage
Main theme:
Andean
Region:
500 - 1,000
Precipitation (mm):
Average
Application difficulty:
1, 2, 6 and 13
SDGs impacted:
Gravity
Energy used:
50 - 70
Efficiency (%):
Urban/Rural
Sector:
Rainwater harvesting.
Expected environmental impact:
$500 - $1,500/ha
Estimated value:
1- Systematization of good practices for adaptation of the agricultural sector to climate change (iica.int) 2- https://www.igme.es/boletin/2020/131_1/BGM_131-1_Art-5.pdf 3- https://efeverde.com/manejo-ancestral-agua-albarradas-tajamares-humedales/ 4- https://www.undp.org/es/ecuador/stories/construcci%C3%B3n-de-albarradas-ayuda-mejorar-la-calidad-de-vida-de-los-ecuatorianos
Links of interest: