The annual reports of the Water Environmental Monitoring Plan (PSAH) are part of Albemarle's environmental commitments, derived from Environmental Qualification Resolution No. 21 of January 20, 2016 by the Environmental Assessment Commission of the Antofagasta Region (RCA No. 21/2016), which favorably qualified the Project "Modifications and Improvement of the Solar Evaporation Pond System in the Salar de Atacama". These reports comply with the provisions of Recital No. 7 of RCA No. 21/2016 in relation to the water component. The PSAH is an environmental commitment applicable to the Operation and Closure Phases of the Project and compiles the results of the monitoring of environmental variables with historical and integrated analysis and verification of the expected behavior of the water system on an annual basis.
In addition to the above, it should be noted that the PSAH includes the report of the activation points of the Early Warning Plan (PAT) with respect to the thresholds established in Recital No. 10.18 of RCA No. 21/2016, which allows for the early detection in time and space of deviations from the null predicted effect on the protected objects (lagoon systems).
The environmental variables that are reported correspond to:
- Meteorological variables
- Surface covered by lagoons
- Limnimetric level of the lagoons
- Surface flow gauging
- Evapotranspiration
- Brine water tables
- Water tables in brackish fresh water
- Position of the salt interface
- Pumped brine flows
- Pumped flows of brackish fresh water
- Chemical quality of surface and groundwater