Agustina Barros + Sebastian Rossi - Aconcagua National Park, Human Waste Management

ACONCAGUA PROVINCIAL PARKHUMAN WASTE MANAGEMENT

Exits Extrategies: Managing Human Waste in the Wild

July 30-31, August 1, 2010Sebastian RossiAgustina Barros

P.Betancourt P.Betancourt

Mules Human waste Campsites TourismFeaturesIntroduction

Aconcagua Provincial Park

Aconcagua

Provincial Park

Campsites

Localities

PeaksRailwayHighwayRivers

Natural Protected Area System

Mendoza, Argentina


Villalba et al, (2003)

Andes Centralesde Chile-Argentina

Source: Ricardo Villalba, IPROMO COURSE 2010

Climate

•Cold and dry (above 4000m below 0°C)

•Freezing days all year round

•Strong winds (200 km/h)

•Water

•Mountain rivers

•Under ground water

•Glacier lakes

•Wetlands in meadows

Geology and Soils

U- shaped valleys, moraine deposits

Mountain glaciers

Thin soils, sandy loam

Meadows soils: rich in organic matter



Weather Forecast (July) Base Camp and High Altitude Campsites (2010) Source: weatherforecast.com

Horcones Lake

Mulas and Canada campsites

•>30.000 day visitors

•8000 mountaineers and trekkers


+ 250 private and Park personnel =120 days

+ 7000 mules

trampling


Human Waste Management Zones

2400-30

00m


4500m-

6962m

3000-350

0m3500

-4500m


CAMPSITE SEASON # DAYS TOTAL

Horcones

Day visitors 30000 1 30000Climbers & Trekkers 7000 1 7000Park rangers 6 90 540 37540liters of water 12liters of sewage discharges 450480

Confluencia

Day visitors 0 0 0Climbers & Trekkers 5550 3 16650private personnel 10 90 900Park rangers 3 90 270 17820liters of waater 12liters of sewage discharges 213840

Pampa de Leñas

Day visitors 0 0 0Climbers & Trekkers 1028 2 2056private personnel 5 90 450Park rangers 2 90 180 2686liters of waater 12liters of sewage discharges 32232

P. Mulas & P. Argentina & High Altitude

Campsites

Day visitors 0 0 0Climbers & Trekkers 4548 4 18192private personnel 57 90 5130Park rangers 9 90 810 24132liters of waater 0.93liters of sewage discharges 22500

Front country toilets

•leaching field is in a alpine meadow

•water extraction and pollution in a fragile ecosystem – priority conservation area

•Visitor Centre•30.000 visitors•700 people day•Toilets, shower and dishwasher


MEADOWS (2%)

septic tank pit

Low altitude toilets

toilets, shower and dishwashes exits connected to the septic tank.

•chemical products (liquids) affect the pit absorption capacity= new pits constructed

• lixiviation to the soil

• pollution of under ground water and river



12

3

4

Toilets base camps

P.Betancourt

Toilets high altitude


1 hour= USD 1500Total= USD 315.540Human waste= USD 25500 = 10%

NO3 (mg/l) December= 6.30 February= 27.70

NO3 (mg/l) = Not detected

Campsite

Control

• percolation of urine and some faecal matter on permafrost soil •relative high cost


Toilets high altitude


•nutrient enrichment from faecas matter and urine scalds•parasite diseases • weeds invasion


[email protected]@yahoo.com.ar

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mailto:[email protected]

Date post:	07-Jan-2017
Category:	Environment
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Agustina Barros + Sebastian Rossi - Aconcagua National Park, Human Waste Management

Environment