Safeguarding the Queuco River:
Advancing Protection for Chile’s Free-Flowing Waters
A Natural and Cultural Heritage Under Threat
The Queuco River is a vital natural and cultural treasure of the Biobío region—one of the last healthy, free-flowing tributaries in the Biobío basin. Maintaining the freedom of its waters and an adequate ecological flow is essential for local biodiversity, traditional livelihoods, and the cultural identity of the Mapuche-Pewenche people. Yet, like many of Chile’s remaining free-flowing rivers, it faces severe pressures from pollution, hydroelectric projects, and intensive water extraction, all of which endanger its fragile ecosystem and the communities that depend on it.
One of the most imminent and large-scale threats is the proposed “Hydric Highway” (Carretera Hídrica). This massive infrastructure scheme, driven by private interests, seeks to divert vast volumes of water from southern rivers—including the Queuco—to supply water-intensive mining and agribusiness operations in the north.
Why the Queuco River Needs Rights Protection
For the Mapuche-Pewenche communities, the Queuco River is far more than a water source—it is the living heart of their territory and culture. The river embodies a spiritual bond that unites people, nature, and ancestral heritage. Its free-flowing waters sustain ecosystems and traditional practices such as fishing, small-scale agriculture, and ceremonial rites that have shaped life along its banks for centuries.
Protecting the freedom and ecological flow of the Queuco River ensures the vitality of its ecosystems and strengthens the cultural and territorial rights of the Mapuche-Pewenche. A free-flowing river nourishes biodiversity, supports traditional livelihoods, and safeguards the balance between people and nature for generations to come.
Legal Water Reserve on the Queuco:
Securing a Future for the River
Earth Law Center (ELC) leads a collaborative effort to secure lasting protection for Chile’s Queuco River through the creation of a legal water reserve (reserva de caudal). Working alongside ONG Defensa Ambiental, Malen Leubü, Kayakimün, and International Rivers—with technical support from the Coalición Ríos Protegidos—ELC is preparing a technical report for Chile’s General Water Directorate. This report combines scientific, hydrological, and legal evidence with the ancestral knowledge and spiritual values of the Mapuche-Pewenche communities, gathered through workshops and community dialogues, to request a presidential decree under Article 147 bis of the Water Code.
A successful decree would preserve the waters of the Queuco River for their essential ecosystem functions and as a lifeline for its communities, safeguard biodiversity, and inspire similar efforts across the region—advancing ELC’s mission to promote ecocentric legal tools that uphold ecological and cultural integrity over extractive industries.
Header Photo: Unsplash / Madeline Hogan; Footer Photo: Unsplash / Hans Luiggi