GLACIOLOGY
"From a scientific point of view, glaciers play an important role in understanding the extent of climate change; at the local level, they represent a vital water reserve for millions of people."
STUDY AND MONITORING OF CHACHACOMANI
The Chachacomani Glacier Project was born from the collaboration between the Lombardy Glaciological Service (an Italian non-profit association) and the Unidad Académica Campesina Paralelo Peñas (Bolivia), with the support of volunteers from the "Virgen de la Natividad" Parish.
General objective: The aim of this work is to measure and clearly describe the changes experienced by the West Glacier of Mount Chachacomani during the considered period, relating them to the climate changes observed over recent decades.
Specific objectives: Five main descriptive research lines were chosen based on their feasibility and the completeness of the results obtainable:
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Calculation of the mass balance using stakes positioned in the ablation area and snow studies in the accumulation area
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Measurement of frontal variations
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Photographic comparisons
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Determination of the AAR (Accumulation Area Ratio) index using satellite images
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Analysis of climatic data from the nearby Hichucota meteorological station
The combination of these five methods, which have the advantage of being performed by several properly trained field operators, provides a fairly clear picture of the current glacier dynamics and allows the formulation of some hypotheses about its future evolution.
TRAINING AND AWARENESS
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Theoretical and practical training of new glaciological operators
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Local awareness raising on climate change and its effects through conferences and presentations
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Publication of scientific data
Download the summary report of the Chachacomani monitoring 2018 - 2022
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STUDY AND MONITORING OF JISKA PATA
Since June 2025, the study has been expanded to the Jiska Pata glacier, one of the glaciers that directly supplies with water the population of the Peñas.
General objective: to expand data collection in the Cordillera Real on a very accessible glacier that can be visited within a day, with educational and outreach purposes.
Specific objectives: the descriptive research lines used are the same as those already applied to the study on Chachacomani.
The study on Jiska Pata also aims to raise awareness among local communities and visitors about climate change by clearly showing its direct effects on the territory. Furthermore, the glacier becomes an important training site for new glaciological operators, offering an accessible field site to learn survey and monitoring techniques firsthand.
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CONTACT US
FOR INFO
Peñas, Provincia Los Andes, La Paz (Bolivia)
(+591) 63057462
Miriam
(+591) 68775275
Davide