Pictured: Elqui Bajo aquifer in the Alfalfares area in La Serena, Chile.
The Mesa Hídrica Elqui Bajo Alfalfares, or the Elqui Bajo Alfalfares Water Resources Board, seeks to foster sustainable water management of the Elqui Bajo aquifer in the Alfalfares area in La Serena. The board emerged towards the end of 2010 as a space for participatory work with the community, private, and public actors in the region to advocate for efficient water management in the sector that considers the needs of individuals throughout the region.
The board was formed to address the critical need for sustainable water management in the Elqui Bajo aquifer. Teck Carmen de Andacollo (CdA) is an active member of the board, along with representatives from the community and public and private organizations in the area. Our participation seeks to foster joint efforts to gain information about the area and the wetland, enabling water management decisions to be well-informed with consideration of all stakeholders.
The board conducts continuous monitoring of groundwater and surface water resources in the area. In 2024, the board conducted 12 monitoring events for groundwater levels and surface flows, with 11 events including water quality sampling. The board’s efforts in 2024 also supported the Groundwater Users Community, a new organization that aims to improve management of the Elqui Bajo aquifer and pursue its sustainable use in accordance with legal requirements.
Paulo Barraza, Manager of Teck CdA Community Relations, said “There have been years of hard work and dialogue that have allowed us to get to know each other in a different way, which for us has also been a valuable learning space. Together we have generated collaborative work that has led us to take the first steps to have integrated water governance, strengthening actions to take care of water resources and develop our economic activities in a sustainable way."
Learn more about our approach to water management on our website.
