Mamanteo facts for kids
A mamanteo or amuna is a very old water system used in the mountains of Peru. It helps people collect and store water. This clever system "delays" rainwater that flows down the mountains during the wet season. This way, the water can be used in towns and farms in the lowlands when the dry season comes.
The system uses special canals to guide floodwaters to areas where the ground or rocks can soak up water. The ground then filters the water. Weeks or even months later, this clean water comes out of springs further down the mountain. This helps communities have enough water and deal with dry periods.
People believe that the ancient Wari culture might have used this technology as early as 700 AD. That's over 1300 years ago! Today, some of these old systems are being fixed and used again to help modern cities.
How Do Mamanteos Work?
Mamanteos are like natural sponges for the mountains. When it rains a lot, instead of letting all the water rush away, the mamanteo system catches it. Canals guide the water into special areas where the soil or rock is porous, meaning it has tiny holes that let water pass through.
The water slowly seeps into the ground. As it travels through layers of soil and rock, it gets naturally filtered. This underground journey can take weeks or even months. Eventually, the water reappears as clean, fresh water in springs lower down the mountain. This slow release of water is super helpful because it provides a steady supply, even when there hasn't been rain for a long time.
Bringing Back Ancient Water Wisdom
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is a huge city built in a desert. It's the second-largest desert city in the world, after Cairo. Lima gets its water from a much smaller river than Cairo does. Because Lima keeps growing, it needs more and more water.
To help with this, Sunass, which is Peru's national water agency, is working to combine modern water systems with natural ones. They have a special fund, supported by taxes, to pay for projects that protect natural areas. Some of this money is used to fix and strengthen the old mamanteo systems. By 2016, ten mamanteos had already been restored!
Scientists have studied the mamanteo system in a place called Huamantanga, Peru. They looked at how much water these systems could store and how long it took for the water to reach the lower areas. They believe that expanding these systems could help local farms grow crops for longer periods.
Peruvian water experts have also looked at how to deal with climate risk, like longer dry seasons. They say that fixing amunas is a great idea because it doesn't cost much and brings big benefits for water supply. They also suggest other helpful actions like managing grasslands, restoring wetlands, and planting forests.
