Canal Uchusuma

Not to be confused with Canal Mauri.

Canal Uchusuma
Map of the general region, with the canal shown in the centre
Country	Peru, Chile
Geography
Direction	Southwest
Start point	Uchusuma River
End point	Rio Yungane
Beginning coordinates	17°34′00″S 69°43′48″W
Ending coordinates	17°46′04″S 69°50′33″W

Canal Uchusuma is a canal in Chile.

Geography

The canal begins at the northeastern foot of Cerro Huancune on the Uchusuma River,[1] a principal tributary of the Mauri River;[2] the diversion occurs at the locality Ancochaullanta at 4,460 metres (14,630 ft) elevation.[3] The path of the canal takes it southeastward through Peruvian territory until the Peru-Chile border at Laguna Blanca. It continues through Chilean territory from Laguna Blanca along the Arica–La Paz railway southwestward between the mountains Tacora and Caracarani, close to the Canal Mauri. It turns around Tacora's southern flank to its western side[1] while following a low-altitude moraine,[4] crosses the Rio Azufre westward and then the border between Chile and Peru. In Peru it continues southwestward and ends between the mountains of Cerro Huaylillas and Cerro Chulluncane into the Rio Yungane.[1] It does so by crossing the mountains through the Huaylillas Norte tunnel. The Rio Yungane subsequently joins the Quebrada Vilavilani.[3] The Quebrada Vilavilani descends the Andes in southwestward direction, where it has several different names, and ends close to the city of Tacna into the Caplina River.[1]

History

This canal was constructed in 1820.[3] There were numerous projects to expand the canal system to more water sources in the Mauri,[5] and the Canal Mauri was constructed in 1954.[3] According to a report in 1977, the Canal Uchusuma is still used when the other canal is under maintenance.[6]

References

1. Tarata, Peru; Bolivia; Chile (Map) (2 ed.). 1:250000. Joint Operations Graphic. Defense Mapping Agency. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
2. Ministry of Agriculture of Peru 1977, p. 5.
3. Ministry of Agriculture of Peru 1977, p. 13.
4. Oregon State University. "Tacora". Volcano World. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
5. Ministry of Agriculture of Peru 1977, p. 2.
6. Ministry of Agriculture of Peru 1977, p. 14.

Sources

• Ministry of Agriculture of Peru (August 1977). "Actualización hidrológica del Proyecto Maure" (PDF) (in Spanish). Autoridad Nacional del Agua. Retrieved 27 February 2018.