Propuesta de estimación de medidas de compensación ambiental por impactos en minería aluvial

Abstract

Alluvial mining is a main economic activity developed in the Meta department, although there are environmental management measures to mitigate the impacts because of this activity. The compensation measures are not always related with the environmental impacts caused directly in the natural environment (fluvial system, geomorphology, biotic environment, etc.). This study is focused to find a mechanism for the estimation of the environmental compensation measures for alluvial mining. The Guayuriba river watershed was the base to develop this study. The Guayuriba river is located between the municipalities of Acacias, Villavicencio, San Carlos de Guaroa and Puerto Lopez in the department of Meta. The proposal of the estimated model was constructed from hydro-morphological characteristics, aquatic ecosystems and exploitation systems. Secondary information on the mining titles in the Guayuriba River was requested to the environmental authority according to the national law. Considering the data, the results obtained was through descriptive statistics, finding the distribution of the data and determining the intervals for the qualification. These have been classified as low, medium, high and very high, some of those are qualitative assignments related to fluvial dynamics variables. The matrices of categories were built as part of the model proposed, which would be in function of affectation on fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, biofilms and benthos, watershed area and stream orders. Finally, is obtained the estimation proposal for environmental compensation to alluvial mining according to the above-mentioned variables and the current methodology used by the environmental authority in the jurisdiction of the Guayuriba watershed (Cormacarena). Moreover, some recommendations are given for future studies and alternatives for environmental compensation for this type of mining activity.