1501119478 (N) by Andres Ruzo

Author:Andres Ruzo
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi
Publisher: TED Conferences LLC
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The 2012 Boiling River Expedition Team: Andrés, Sofía, Peter, Whitney, Maria, Basil, Carlos, and Poncho. The large pool behind us is about 60°C (140°F).

“This place is sacred and should never be developed,” I begin slowly, “but it’s worth considering that the same processes that create the Boiling River might also be creating other geothermal systems, buried deep underground in other parts of the Amazon. If these systems can be harnessed for geothermal energy, they could help growing Amazonian cities like Pucallpa lower their environmental footprint, as well as provide jobs.”

“Again, this river should never be harnessed,” I repeat, “but understanding how it works could ideally help us find harmony between the current modern standards of living and the natural world.”

Finally, the third hypothesis. I lower my voice: “Worst-case scenario is that the river might not be natural. It could be the result of an oilfield accident.”

“What about the legends?” Whitney asks.

“The legends could have come later,” I say. “It’s not uncommon for unusual features to have significance retroactively attributed to them. The Boiling River is not identified in any studies I can find. The area has been explored and developed for about eighty years. So there’s an elephant in the room: why wasn’t it identified before?

“There is one study that could hold the key to this question, but I can’t find it anywhere—the 1933 Moran study. It’s the only study done prior to any development here, and in theory it should identify the river. I’ve also been trying to reach Maple Gas, the oil company that’s operating in this area, but no luck on that front either. My hope is they’ll let me explore their oilfield—for my geothermal mapping, and to better understand this river.

“Regardless, our goal for this trip is to study the river in detail. The main objectives are to take the water samples and to make a detailed temperature map of the river as it flows to the Pachitea. Unfortunately, the Google Earth satellite imagery for this area is so low-resolution that it’s of no use. I’m petitioning Google headquarters for support to get high-res imagery.

“Before we end this meeting, I want to add that Maestro Juan and Sandra are in Pucallpa and will be back in three days with a big group of tourists. That should be everything. Any questions, comments, or concerns?”

“Just one,” Carlos says. “I just realized this is the farthest I have ever been from a slice of pizza.”

Sofía and I prepare for bed in our hut at the edge of the community as the generator is cut and darkness returns to the jungle. I meticulously tuck the edges of our mosquito net under our mattress.

“I still can’t believe how much they have bitten you,” Sofía says. “It’s so weird. We’re all using the same insect repellent . . .”

As we settle into bed, I say, “Amor, I don’t get it.”

“Get what?”

“Brunswick was telling me that virtually no Peruvians come here—the tourists are almost all foreign. I looked through the guest book, and it’s true, they’re from all over the world.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.