It’s agreed a new study to unclog Poechos

LANCONÉS, Peru – Poechos reservoir is only capable to contain 42% of its original capability. Chira-Piura Special Project (PECHP as in Spanish)’s director eugenio Tadeo Ramos revealed that the sediments raise 520 million cubic meters. A little lower than the half of the whole matter erupted by the broken out volcano at La Palma Island (Spain) in September 2021.

 

The reservoir, built since 1972 and starting operations four years later, was conceived to contain until 880 million cubic meters, with an option to enlarge until 1 billion cubic meters, of water. Its purpose was irrigating Chira and Piura Valleys, that form the most lowlands of Piura Department – its impact area includes five of its eight provinces.

 

Poechos is the largest artificial lake in Peru, that has full by sediment in almost half-a-century of operations due to deforestation at Catamayo Basin (Ecuador) and the massive water overloads caused by heavy rains during El Niño events in 1983 and 1998.

 

In that sense, PECHP signed an agreement on January 20^th, 2023, with Peru’s National Authority of Water (ANA, as in Spanish( and the Users Board of Chira Valley Hydraulic Sector (JUSHVC, as in Spanish) to start unclog studies of the dam, also known as The Colossal due to its size.

 

PECHP director estimated the works would allow to benefit users along 100,000 hectares. He rated the studies for unclogging as “urgent.”

 

Ana’s representative José Huamán Piscoya estimated the goal for recovering Poechos Reservoir in about 440 million cubic meters purposed to “the agriculture and the users can count the hydric availability that allows to continue holding their development.”

 

JUSHVC’s president Angel Zapata León announced the studies could begin in February 2023 in front of an offer by a company that proposed to make it. It was not specified which one is. Indeed, he advanced “the unclog is going to be progressive.”

 

Piura’s Regional Governor Luis Neyra León stated he supports the studies, he will assure those ones continue in further regional administrations.

 

With reports and photographs provided by Mario Moncada.

 

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