First scientific vessel assesses Lake Titicaca's water quality in Peru and Bolivia

09:00 | Puno (Puno region), Oct. 1.

The Autonomous Binational Authority of Lake Titicaca (ALT), in collaboration with the PlanetSolar Foundation (Switzerland) and the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Bolivia (Senamhi), has launched the first comprehensive scientific circumnavigation of Lake Titicaca's shoreline along the Peru-Bolivia border aboard the MS PlanetSolar II, the lake's first solar-powered research vessel.

The expedition, which will run until October 16, 2025, will cover more than 800 kilometers of the lake's shoreline in a clockwise direction, departing from and returning to the port of Peru's southeastern city of Puno.

Its aim is to assess water quality in the coastal areas through a limnological approach focused on eutrophication processes.

To this end, vertical profiles of the water column will be conducted at 39 monitoring points, as well as at other sites identified along the route.

These measurements will be conducted using YSI EXO2 multiparameter probes from Senamhi Bolivia, which will make it possible to validate satellite images with in situ records.

This system will cross-check and validate the results obtained through remote sensing, using images from the Sentinel-3 satellite, particularly those related to key parameters such as chlorophyll-a, dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and suspended solids.

This will strengthen the scientific information available for the binational management of the lake.

Another purpose is to identify priority sites for future ecological restoration actions and wastewater treatment.

The expedition also includes the transfer of technical capacity through the participation of a Senamhi specialist, who will be trained in the use of multiparameter probes and the analysis of environmental data.

According to ALT's Executive President Juan Ocola, the expedition represents a binational and innovative effort, combining cutting-edge technology with the use of solar energy for navigation.

"This project represents a crucial step toward the implementation of a binational early warning system for the protection and restoration of Lake Titicaca," he added.

The research vessel, MS PlanetSolar II, is a donation from Switzerland's PlanetSolar Foundation to ALT.

Incorporating a renewable energy–based scientific system for monitoring and research on Lake Titicaca will enable ALT to strengthen its technical and scientific capacities.

Likewise, it will boost high-precision environmental studies and advance the sustainable binational management of water resources shared between Peru and Bolivia.

The Binational Authority of Lake Titicaca (ALT) is a Peruvian-Bolivian public entity that functionally reports to the Foreign Ministries of Peru and Bolivia.

ALT promotes and implements programs and projects related to the management, regulation, control, and protection of water, hydrobiological, and other environmental resources.

It also coordinates actions with public and private organizations to achieve sustainable development.