This research was funded by Cienciactiva, an initiative of CONCYTEC (grant contract No. 002-2016-FONDECYT, and by a VLIR-TEAM programme ZEIN2013PR395: ‘Impact on surface water resources and aquatic biodiversity by opencast mining activities in Cajamarca, Peru’.

The Peruvian environmental action plan seeks headwaters protection as one of its integrated watershed management objectives. However, heterogeneous social and environmental conditions shape this freshwater management challenge at subnational scales. We have noticed different interpretations of this challenge. To map the debate, understand the diverse interpretations, and frame political choices, we conducted semi-structured interviews with institutional and non-institutional stakeholders for performing discourse analysis in an Andean watershed where mountaintop gold mining, midstream farmers, and the downstream Cajamarca city coexist. One discourse dominates the debate on protecting the freshwater supply and argues the importance of river impoundment, municipal storage capacity, and institutional leadership. The other two discourses revolve around protecting the mountain aquifer. The sec...

Aim: We studied the distribution of freshwater macroinvertebrate taxa and traits to distinguish ecological gradients among the mining- controlled and natural headwaters, and rural and urban economic activity influences. Location: In 2016’s dry season, macroinvertebrate samples were collected at 40 loca tions in the Mashcon watershed, northern Peruvian Andes. Six locations were in the headwaters directly influenced by mining, eight near- pristine tributary headwaters, 14 agricultural locations at midstream and 12 urban locations downstream. Methods: Eight traits (five biological and three ecological) were selected according to data availability, and modalities scores were assigned using the weighted and the dominant- trait approaches. The traits relative abundances and abiotic conditions were compared among watershed sections. The ecological interpretability of the un grouped data was v...

Water quality assessments provide essential information for protecting aquatic habitats and stakeholders downstream of mining sites. Moreover, mining companies must comply with environmental quality standards and include public participation in water quality monitoring (WQM) practices. However, overarching challenges beyond corporate environmental responsibility are the scientific soundness, political relevance and harmonization of WQM practices. In this study, a mountainous watershed supporting large-scale gold mining in the headwaters, besides urban and agricultural landuses at lower altitudes, is assessed in the dry season. Conventional physicochemical and biological (Biological MonitoringWater Party-Colombia index) freshwater quality parameters were evaluated, including hydromorphological and land-use characteristics. According to the indicators used, water quality deterioration by m...

Water quality assessments provide essential information for protecting aquatic habitats and stakeholders downstream of mining sites. Moreover, mining companies must comply with environmental quality standards and include public participation in water quality monitoring (WQM) practices. However, overarching challenges beyond corporate environmental responsibility are the scientific soundness, political relevance and harmonization of WQM practices. In this study, a mountainous watershed supporting large-scale gold mining in the headwaters, besides urban and agricultural landuses at lower altitudes, is assessed in the dry season. Conventional physicochemical and biological (Biological Monitoring Water Party-Colombia index) freshwater quality parameters were evaluated, including hydromorphological and land-use characteristics. According to the indicators used, water quality deterioration by ...