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An Introduction to the Rivers of Southern Chile and Patagonia

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Rivers of Southern Chile and Patagonia

Part of the book series: The Latin American Studies Book Series ((LASBS))

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Abstract

The rivers of southern Chile and northern Patagonia (39–47° S) are located in a region affected by natural disturbances, such as climatic extremes (high variability of rainfall), retreat of glaciers, large volcanic eruptions, glacial lake outbursts of floods, seismic activity, and frequent landslides. Annual precipitation records show great differences in the region. In general, there is a decrease in precipitation from north (39° S) to south (47° S), and Patagonia region shows a strong E-W gradient, with the driest areas in the Andes mountain areas and the wettest on the coast. In general terms, there are strong differences between the discharge of the rivers in southern Chile and Patagonia. The discharge of the last ten years (2011–2020) shows a slight downward trend in all rivers.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the project ANID/CONICYT FONDECYT N°1200091, “Unravelling the dynamics and impacts of sediment-laden flows in urban areas in southern Chile as a basis for innovative adaptation (SEDIMPACT)” led by Bruno Mazzorana.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Carlos Oyarzún

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  1. Carlos Oyarzún
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Correspondence to Carlos Oyarzún .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Carlos Oyarzún

  2. Instituto Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Bruno Mazzorana

  3. Instituto Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Pablo Iribarren Anacona

  4. Instituto Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Andrés Iroumé

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Oyarzún, C. (2023). An Introduction to the Rivers of Southern Chile and Patagonia. In: Oyarzún, C., Mazzorana, B., Iribarren Anacona, P., Iroumé, A. (eds) Rivers of Southern Chile and Patagonia. The Latin American Studies Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26647-8_1

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