Palcayaco watershed management through environmental zoning in Huancavelica, Peru

The technical and integrated participation of the population in environmental zoning and soil and water conservation techniques and management is a sustainable alternative for watershed management. The objective of the research was to develop an environmental zoning map for the Palcayaco watershed in Huancavelica, Peru (from its socioeconomic aspects to its technical recommendations). The research work was deductive, where all the necessary data were delimited, described, inventoried, recapitulated and extracted to describe the morphometric parameters, biophysical and socioeconomic situation, environmental zoning and techniques for soil and water conservation. Results: the watershed was perennial, an average slope of 29.65%, a time of concentration of 180.6 min and a balanced hypsometric curve type (B). It also had low population density, unpaved roads, scarce basic services, and poor education and health services infrastructure. The watershed presented different ecoregions, life zones, climatic classification and altitudinal sector, current land use for agricultural, livestock and silvopastoral production, steep type, forest pasture use and protection capacity. The conflict area was in good use, and economic-ecological zoning was in protection, conservation, recovery, water, productive, and urban-industrial. The environmental zoning designed for the Palcayaco watershed preserved the most important natural resources for rural communities, improving their biophysical and socioeconomic status. Through soil and water conservation techniques and management, it will prevent the degradation of the watershed for a better and sustainable future.