The Geomorphic Map of Metropolitan Lima and its Hidrographic Basins, a Tool to the Sustainable Land Management

• Main Authors: Sandra Villacorta, José Ubeda
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú 2012-11-01
• Series: Espacio y Desarrollo
• Subjects: cambio climático; geomorfología glaciar; geomorfología fluvial; Lima Metropolitana
• Online Access: http://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/espacioydesarrollo/article/view/7580

In this paper we present a joint initiative of the Instituto Geológico Minero y Metalúrgico (Ingemmet) and the Research Group of Physical Geography in High Mountains of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (GFAM-UCM), to promote at Peru the research on geomorphology and climate change. The plan is to elaborate geomorphological maps of Lima Metropolitana and header watersheds (Chillón, Rímac and Lurín), to generating analytical instruments to achieve the following objectives: 1) Decoding the record of climatic changes in landforms. 2) Delimit water reserves stored as ice masses (cryosphere). 3) Recognize the relationship between the geomorphology and the geological hazards which may affect to people and their economic activities. 4) Design a methodology that can be extrapolated to other Peruvian regions. To this end, geomorphological mapping will be integrated into geographic information systems (GIS): will be identified the morphoclimatic units and the related genetic processes. Also, their relative chronologies will be proposed. Then, the absolute dating of key units will be established to confirm or correct the relative chronologies. The information will be compiled in databases to be contrasted with other evidences and paleoclimatic proxies. This is intended to produce models of climate evolution, to contribute to the assessment of geological hazards, and the knowledge of current state of cryosphere, including recent trends and future forecasts.