Fog Catching in the Atacama Desert
16 images Created 13 Jun 2012
An Audio Visual presentation of this project can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdyyw9fe3KI
The Atacama desert in Northen Chile is the driest place in the world. In many places rainfall has never been recorded and there is no possibility of life. However, people are trying to reverse the trend of desertification by harvesting coastal fog in large nets. Fog and moisture in the air passes through the net and condenses before travelling through pipes into tanks where it is stored.
The fog water is pure for drinking and can be used for agriculture. The Universidad Catolica has a scientific research centre at Alto Patache. The results have shown that life is waiting to be found in the desert. Fog water has been used to transform a once arid patches of desert into a gardens. Accidental water spillage from fog water has shown that parts of the desert contain seeds and with a little water will natural grow a wide variety of plant life. Currently a collective in the village of Chanaral use the water for Aloe Vera farming.
Water is a vital resource in the Atacama where it is scarce and in high demand from mining industies. Currently water is piped to towns from hundreds of miles away in the Andes or driven by water trucks. Fog collection offers a clean cheap and sustainable water resource for the future. However, in Northern Chile it is in danger unless there is further investment from the goverment and authorities.
The Atacama desert in Northen Chile is the driest place in the world. In many places rainfall has never been recorded and there is no possibility of life. However, people are trying to reverse the trend of desertification by harvesting coastal fog in large nets. Fog and moisture in the air passes through the net and condenses before travelling through pipes into tanks where it is stored.
The fog water is pure for drinking and can be used for agriculture. The Universidad Catolica has a scientific research centre at Alto Patache. The results have shown that life is waiting to be found in the desert. Fog water has been used to transform a once arid patches of desert into a gardens. Accidental water spillage from fog water has shown that parts of the desert contain seeds and with a little water will natural grow a wide variety of plant life. Currently a collective in the village of Chanaral use the water for Aloe Vera farming.
Water is a vital resource in the Atacama where it is scarce and in high demand from mining industies. Currently water is piped to towns from hundreds of miles away in the Andes or driven by water trucks. Fog collection offers a clean cheap and sustainable water resource for the future. However, in Northern Chile it is in danger unless there is further investment from the goverment and authorities.
