Melting Rate of Glaciers In Northern Peru Has More Than Doubled

Glaciers in northern Peru’s mountains are melting at a rate of 20 meters per year, more than twice as fast as they were before 1977, the head of glaciology at Peru’s National Institute of Natural Resources (INRENA) reports. Agricultural areas that depend on the glaciers for water have increased in recent years, prompting concern that smaller glaciers won’t be able to meet water demands in the future, said one INRENA scientist. The group predicts that a halt in glacial meltwater may come as soon as 2020. There is some hope that the Paramos wetlands, downstream from the glaciers, will be able to hold excess meltwater now against future shortages, acting as a giant sponge. The Paramos currently provides drinking water for 13 million people on the Peruvian coast.