KarunaNews Story

Forty years ago, historian Galo Ramón found an old map that showed a long-forgotten water management system conceived by the Paltas in the semi-arid region more than 1,000 years ago that offers solutions for Ecuador and other parts of the world struggling to address water scarcity with limited resources today. The system involved collecting and infiltrating rainwater, groundwater and underground runoff to recover it when it reappeared in springs and wells downstream. An artificial wetland at high altitudes collected rainwater in the rainy months and hydrophilic plants helped slow infiltration. The Paltas’ system faded from memory during the early 18th-century Spanish colonial period. In 2005, Ramón, by then the leader of Comunidec, a human rights foundation, decided to rebuild the system. The project has increased Catacocha’s water availability from one to 10 hours daily and enhanced food security through community gardens, resulting in the creation of 250 lagoons and tajamares.