Compendio Científico en Hidrología Isotópica. Resultados Fase I Proyecto científico 'Prospección y mapeo de la disponibilidad y sostenibilidad de los recursos hídricos en zonas transfronterizas piloto de las tres regiones hidrográficas del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia mediante la aplicación de la hidrología isotópica, 2022-2025. Depósito Legal 4-1-99-2023 P.O.

Abstract

This scientific compendium presents Phase I results of Bolivia’s first National Isotope Hydrology Program (2022–2025), implemented by the Bolivian Nuclear Energy Agency (ABEN) to strengthen hydrological monitoring, groundwater assessment, and water diplomacy in transboundary basins. The publication consolidates the baseline database of stable and radioactive isotopes (δ¹⁸O, δ²H, ³H, ²²²Rn, ¹⁴C) across the country’s three major hydrological regions: Altiplano, Amazon, and La Plata, and documents previous work performed for the installation and operation of Bolivia’s inaugural national GNIP-aligned precipitation isotope monitoring network. The report includes mapping products and field evidence generated through ABEN’s scientific missions in transboundary aquifers, particularly the Tierra de los Lípez Basin, the Amazon Aquifer System (Cobija), and the Yrendá–Tobá–Tarijeño Aquifer System (Yacuiba–Villamontes). The compendium highlights: · Spatial and temporal variability of isotope compositions. · Radon-222 surveys as indicators of subsurface connectivity. · Hydrochemical–isotopic integration for aquifer analysis · Conceptual models of groundwater recharge, flow, and mixing. · Monitoring network design and interinstitutional coordination · Applications of isotope hydrology for transboundary water governance and evidence-based policy. As the first systematic national dataset of its kind in Bolivia, this publication provides a scientific foundation for groundwater-climate analysis, water security planning, and regional cooperation, fully aligned with IAEA methodologies and national priorities.