Local institutional adaptation to groundwater overexploitation challenges: case study from Copiapó aquifer, Chile

Chile's approach to water management, based on a private property regimen combined with a period of extreme drought, had led to the overexploitation of groundwater. To address this issue, groundwater communities have formed and implemented management actions beyond the functions assigned to them by law. This article focuses on the experience of groundwater communities in the Copiapó Aquifer in Chile, highlighting their innovative actions such as incorporating environmental protection goals, promoting participation in decision-making, facilitating temporary water transfers, and conducting studies for improved management. The adaptive capacity demonstrated by groundwater communities shows the potential for innovation in Chilean groundwater management.