IMPACTS OF PUYEHUE CORDON CAULLE VOLCANIC COMPLEX RECENT ERUPTION IN NAHUEL HUAPI NATIONAL PARK (PATAGONIA ARGENTINA) Maria de la Paloma Martínez Fernández1,3 ndez1,3 & Elizabeth Ivonne Rovere2,3 1 Lantel, Universidad Nacional del Comahue 2 SEGEMAR, Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino, Dirección n de Geología a Regional, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 3 GEVAS Grupo de Estudio de Volcanes Ambiente y Sociedad www.geovolcan.blogspot.com
Neuquen province: Nahuel Huapi National Park Villa la Angostura district
Puyehue Vn Angostura V. Cordon Caulle Villa la Angostura: 50 km
Nahuel Huapi (709.474 ha) is one of the most visited parks in Argentina, with 500.000 annual visitors. Villa la Angostura, with 12.000 inhabitants, receives tourist during the year, which also visit Arrayanes National Park (1.753 ha), in Quetrihue peninsula.
The Park protects the andean forest and patagonian steppe. In Angostura prevails the Nothofagus forest (dombeyi, obliqua, nervosa, pumilio, antarctica)
Tourist activities Trekking Ski Observation of nature Fishing Hunting Business tourism Pudu pudu, the smallest deer
4/6/2011: Chilean Puyehue Cordon Caulle complex erupted Stratovolcan with a main crater of 2km diameter (VN Puyehue, 2.236 m), and fisural volcanism over a NW SE rift of 17 km, with about 14 domic holocenic centers (less than 10.000 years)
Ash plume crossing the country (Nasa 6/6/11)
13/6/11 plume from west to east, 780 km Last Last eruption was in 1960, when the population of the town and sorroundings was less than 800 people.
The current population was not prepared for such event Mendoza 1932,Vn Descabezado
In town at first the authorities distributed water and chinstraps The information was contradictory, Civil defense warned about the risks but the government minimized them. It was an electoral time so there was a great confusion. This situation attempted against a proper organization.
Puyehue plume evolution 05 Jun 11 13 Jun 11 27 Jun 11 03 Jul 11 28 Jul 11 Nivel de Alerta Nivel 6 - Rojo Erupción moderada Nivel 5 - Rojo Erupción moderada Nivel 5 Rojo Erupción moderada Puyehue activity persisted 8 months
IMPACTS Vegetation (specially exotic species)
Landscape
Soil Entrance to Arrayanes NP (Villa la Angostura) Evolution of the soil from ashes along last 10.000 years
Animal behaviour Livestock (21 % lost)
Streams and lakes Lapilli floating on Espejo lake (October 2011)
Angostura river : fly casting best place
Clearing up streams of branches that became dams for the ashes.
Risk of lahars
ARROYO COLORADO ARROYO FLORENCIA RÍO BONITO ARROYO UBELDI ARROYO MANZANO
Impacts on society and infrastructure
3.000 people abandoned the town, mostly for ever What about sense of belonging?? Economic impact : lack of visitors in winter and summer. (U$s 37 millions) Hotels and others services closed. Lack of job sources. Health problems. Exodus of population Psychological inestability
Impact on tourism activity
Cerro Bayo Ski center
Different studies on nature: Probably positive impact on regeneration of vegetation (Arrayanes) Impact on fishes (salmonids introduced in early XX century) Risk of lahars (slopes, forest and population down the streams) Water quality Patologies related to the the ashes in atmosphere.
A study of UBA stands out that during the winter months in 2011, the solar radiation arriving received by the vegetation diminished 85 % However, the plants grew very fast and strong in spring. The native species are surely adapted to this kind of events. In long term the environment recovers
March 2012
Facing the future It is necessary to make an integral assesment. People must be educated to understand the natural processes of the environment, and its interaction with human interventions. Emergency planning must be done in colaboration with all the people involved: Authorities, teachers, tourist operators, park guards, civil defense, citizens and
Considering volcanic events as an opportunity Geotourism has not been considered as good as ecotourism so far. It s necessary to make intepretive tours better. The region has a great potencial (glacier valleys, volcanic geoformes) to improve this kind of sustainable tourism, which could help in environmental education. Even rural tourism could help farmers to recover from their loses and begin to diversify their sources of income.
Thank you! Río Bonito fall Picaflor rubi Green backed Firecrown