Canal Lauca

The Canal Lauca is an artificial channel to divert the waters of the Lauca River westward through a canal and tunnel into the Azapa Valley for purposes of irrigation in the valley and hydroelectric-power generation. Its construction began 1948 and water diversion began 14 years later from a dam located about 16 miles southwest of Lago Cotacotani Lake.

Canal Lauca

The canal lies in the commune of Putre in the Arica y Parinacota Region of Chile. It is 33 kilometres (21 mi) long and has a capacity of 1.9 cubic metres per second (67 cu ft/s).[1] It transfers water from the Lauca River into the Rio San Jose for irrigation[2] and hydropower purposes; the endpoint of the canal includes the Chapiquiña power plant which produces 56 gigawatt-hours per year (6.4 MW).[3] Typically about 0.8 cubic metres per second (28 cu ft/s) are transferred;[3] a plan to transfer additional water from Lake Chungara was blocked after litigation by an environmentalist group.[4]

The canal was put into service in 1962 and is owned by the government of Chile.[1] As a consequence of the construction of the canal, the surface of irrigated land in the Azapa valley increased. This also led to increased immigration from Bolivia into Chile.[5] The construction of the canal led to protests by Bolivians[6] and appears to have primarily favoured large agribusiness.[7]

The Lauca River originates at the Laguna Cotacotani, which in turn receives seepage water from Lake Chungara.[8] It first flows due westward before turning south and later back east into Bolivia.[9] After draining a watershed of 2,350 square kilometres (910 sq mi), the river ends in the Salar de Coipasa of Bolivia.[8]