Climate

In general, the region is characterized by two climate types: one is rainy with Mediterranean influence, and the other is known as hot summer with a short dry period. The first type of climate is typical from 38°S (near to Castro) until 42°S. In this area the annual precipitation is 2 000 mm, with winter (June, July, August) and summer (December, January, February) registering the maximum and minimum values, respectively. The thermal oscillations are moderate in the coastal zones, with increasing values in the Andean Cordillera (DMC, 2015).

The second type of climate can be observed in the Intermediate Depression and in the northern part of the region. Precipitation is present almost during the whole year, reaching an average annual value slightly above 2 000 mm, mostly concentrated between March and November. In this second type of climate the thermal oscillations are moderate between day and night, reaching values of 5°C and annual averages of 12°C (DMC, 2015).

RAINY CLIMATE WITH MEDITERRANEAN INFLUENCE

This climate is influenced by the ocean and is responsible for moderate temperatures in the coastal zone. In the longitudinal valleys and the precordilleran zones the annual thermal extensions reach significant values due to the distance to the coast. The precipitation is distributed around the whole year, observing a small decrease in the summer months and reaching 1 000 mm as annual precipitation amount.

Hot climate with a short dry season

This climate is present from the northern part of the region up to 39°S. It is characterized by precipitations during the whole year, with only one relatively dry season, lasting 3-4 months in the summer period (DJF). The dry seasons has low precipitation values in comparison to the winter months (JJA), which concentrate most of the precipitation (above 200 mm/month), with a annual total exceeding 2 000 mm. The thermal oscillations are moderate between day and night, reaching values of 5°C and annual averages of 12°C (DMC, 2015). The average temperature is 8°C in the coldest month and 15°C in the warmest one.

References and further reading:

Banco Mundial (2011) Chile: Diagnóstico de la gestión de los recursos hídricos. Banco Mundial, Departamento de Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible, Región para América Latina y el Caribe. Available on http://www.dga.cl/eventos/Diagnostico%20gestion%20de%20recursos% 20hidricos%20en%20Chile_Banco%20Mundial.pdf. [Accessed on Jun 10th 2016].

CADE-IDEPE (2004) Diagnóstico y Clasificación de los Cursos y Cuerpos de Agua Según Objetivos de Calidad. Cuenca del Río Imperial. Technical Report. Ministerio de Obras Públicas, Dirección General de Aguas. Elaborado por: Cade-Idepe Consultores en Ingeniería. Available on http://www.sinia.cl/1292/articles-31018_Imperial.pdf.

CONIC-BF (2010) Mejoramiento y ampliación red de aguas subterráneas regiones VII a X. Informe Final. Ministerio de Obras Públicas, Dirección General de Aguas, División de Estudios y Planificación. Elaborado por: CONIC-BF Ingenieros Civiles Consultores.

CR2 (2015) Informe a la Nación: La Megasequía. Centro de Ciencia del Clima y la Resiliencia (CR2), Universidad de Chile. Available on http://www.uchile.cl/publicaciones/117420/informe-a-la-nacion-la-megasequia-2010-2015. [Accessed on Jun 10th, 2016].

DMC (2015) Descripción Climatológica Región de la Araucanía. Dirección Meteorológica de Chile (DMC). Available on http://www.meteochile. cl/climas/climas_novena_region.html. [Accessed on Dec 10th 2015].

Huber, A., Iroumé, A., Bathurst, J. (2008) Effect of Pinus radiata plantations on water balance in Chile. Hydrological Processes 22, 142–148. doi:10. 1002/hyp.6582.

Huber, A., Iroumé, A., Mohr, C., Frêne, C. (2010) Efecto de plantaciones de Pinus radiata y Eucalyptus globulus sobre el recurso agua en la Cordillera de la Costa de la región del Bíobío, Chile. Bosque (Valdivia) 31, 219–230. doi:10.4067/S0717-92002010000300006.

Huber J, A., Trecaman V, R. (2000) Efecto de una plantacin de Pinus radiata en la distribucin espacial del contenido de agua del suelo. Bosque (Valdivia) 21, 37–44.

Huber J, A., Trecaman V, R. (2004) Eficiencia del uso del agua en plantaciones de Pinus radiata en Chile. Bosque (Valdivia) 25, 33–43. doi:10.4067/S0717-92002004000300004.

INE (2007) Censo Agropecuario 2007. Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas (INE). Available on http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_ estadistico/censos_agropecuarios/censo_agropecuario_07.php. [Accessed on Jun 10th 2016].

INE (2015) Compendio Estadístico-Región de la Araucanía 2015.Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Dirección Regional de la Araucanía. Temuco, Chile. Available on http://www.inearaucania.cl/archivos/files/pdf/SistemaEstadisticoRegional/Compendio%20Estad%C3%ADstico% 20Regional%202015%20-%20La%20Araucan%C3%ADa.pdf. [Accessed on Jun 10th 2016].

INFOR (2014) Antecedentes Generales y Recurso Forestal Región de la Araucanía 2014. Instituto Forestal (INFOR). Available on http://wef.infor.cl/estadisticas_regionales/estadisticasregionales.php. [Accessed on Jun10th 2016].

INFOR (2015) El sector forestal chileno 2015. Instituto Forestal (INFOR). Available on http://wef.infor.cl/sector_forestal/ sectorforestal.php#/44. [Accessed on Jun 10th 2016].

Little, C., Lara, A., McPhee, J., Urrutia, R. (2009) Revealing the impact of forest exotic plantations on water yield in large scale watersheds in South-Central Chile. Journal of Hydrology 374, 162–170. doi:10.1016/ j.jhydrol.2009.06.011.

MOP (2012) Plan Regional de Infraestructura y Gestión del Recurso Hídrico al 2021. Resumen Ejecutivo. Ministerio de Obras Públicas, Región de la Araucanía. Available on http://www.dirplan.cl/planes/regional/ download/PRIGRH_Region_Araucania.pdf. [Accessed on Jun 10th 2016].

Quiroga, T.G. (1987) Investigación tecnológica de Riego. Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (Chile). Estación experimental Carillanca. Programa Riego y Drenaje. Temuco. Informe Final. p 12.

Scott, D.F., Prinsloo, F.W. (2008) Longer-term effects of pine and eucalypt plantations on streamflow. Water Resources Research, 44, W00A08. doi:10.1029/2007WR006781.

Sobarzo, C.T. (2014) Adaptación al cambio climático de la gestión hídrica. Master’s thesis. Magster en Gestión y Polticas Públicas. Universidad de Chile. Estudios de Caso Nro 129.

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