Global Warming Threatens Glaciers in the Andes Mountains to Shrink
In Ecuador, the pace of glacier melt threatens hydroelectric power plants and water systems that rely on water from the glaciers. With the help of the World Bank, local researchers are launching new efforts to track the decline and urge residents to preserve crucial water supplies, particularly in Quito, the Ecuador's capital.
Technicians
want to know how much precipitation is added to the glacier, and how
much rain water and melted ice flow down into the the Ecuadorean
capital's water supply. Maintaining a balance is crucial to Quito's
future. EMAAP (Pichincha's Municipal Water and Sewerage Company) employees are taking measurements every five minutes.
"The glacier is a huge reservoir of water that supplies
us every year. We have a lot of monitoring activity to make sure it
never runs out," Diego Paredes, the EMAAP's employee, said.
Head over for the complete report written by Brian Wagner
