Adaptación de las comunidades de la provincia de Imbabura en Ecuador ante los conflictos por el agua, cuenca hidrográfica La Marquesa- Cotacachi, 2009-2019

Abstract

In Imbabura’s province the water cover is 75% for all its cantons, its main uses are for agriculture and human water consumption. The research’s objetive was to analyze in a participatory manner the evolution of water consumption, the factors that explain it and the feasibility of potential adaptation measures in the communities of the headwaters of the La Marquesa watershed in the Cotacachi canton. The research has a mixed approach, it was developed in 3 phases: first, evolution of the volume of water consumption in the headwaters of the basin; second, factors influencing the volume of water consumption and the number of headwaters in the basin and third, prioritization of adaptation measures to be implemented in the headwaters of the basin. The first results were: there are four months where greater water consumption is generated: June, August, September and December; the identified causes that influence the increase in the volume of consumption are the elaboration of chicha de jora, ritual baths, different social dynamics, city festivities and the vacation period; the adaptation measures prioritized jointly with community leaders were: (a) planting of plants; (b) environmental awareness campaigns to schools, and communities; (c) construction of dry toilets and treatment plants, (d) implementation of the technique for water harvesting and (e) construction of the water park. The planting of native plants and environmental education in schools and communities were more highly valued.