The Futaleufú River in northern Patagonia has also remained free flowing within Chilean boarders despite Endesa ownership of its non-consumptive rights. Although Endesa had listed the Futaleufú as one of seventeen planned hydropower projects in Chile, like HydroAysén, plans to develop the Futaleufú were curtailed in 2014. While the proposal captured both local and international attention, effective resistance was developed through several means including the Futaleufú community’s previously established knowledge of hydro development. As many whitewater rafting companies relocated to Futaleufú from the dammed Bío Bío, this migration not only brought a strong outdoor industry presence to the area, but also an understanding of hydropower connotations and the level of defense needed to combat development.
Although the whitewater industry has promoted river conservation in Futaleufú, dynamics with local community members have not always been fluid. Gonzalez depicts the underlying tensions stating “at first these companies didn’t have a good connection with the community so they “will bring their tourists, they will keep them in their own camps outside, they will go down the river, and then they will leave,” so the tourists didn’t even come to town to buy bread…so for people at first tourism…wasn’t something that would benefit them.” As the industry started gaining momentum in Futaleufú, more Chilean guides and companies immerged in combination with other businesses needed to support increased tourism. This transition, although still in flux, promoted more pervasive community involvement within the whitewater industry through economic benefit.
Futaleufú’s longer history of conservation is also displayed through their ZOIT application, which was approved by Los Lagos Regional Secretariat of the Ministry of Economy. ZOIT is a Chilean development program directed towards combining the forces of sustainable tourism industries and local community leaders. Futaleufú’s ZOIT certification now protects 131 square miles of the region, although the water rights remain under Endesa (OECD, 2014). As the watershed is surrounded by national parks, and government funding has gone into eco-tourism promotion, it’s the rivers solidified conservation would be a logical transition. However, there are still many concerns that Endesa’s proposal will regain momentum, or that the water rights will be traded to another aggressive corporation.
In light of these threats, the Futaleufú Riverkeeper[1] utilizes diligent legal strategies. For example, Gonzalez and other members of the Riverkeeper team responded with legal action when Endesa applied to change the geographical coordinates of the project’s construction site in August 2015. While this change was not large, the Riverkeeper filed thirty-seven legal opposition requests to the Dirección de General de Aguas (General Directorate of Water) (DGA). While Gonzalez recognizes that “[Endesa] already [has] the rights, they could build the dam today,” she emphasizes that “we are aware, we are watching [Endesa], they move a finger and we will move 37 fingers.” As these claims will move through the court system in a pattern of appeals, this tactic also produces increased publicity and awareness. Additionally, she emphasizes “that’s what lawyers do, they delay process, and we are going to use that same tool so they get tired and don’t have money to do it in the future.” Pinilla deepens this idea explaining that beyond the economic cost of actually constructing a project, developers face a social cost or finances they use to mitigate and combat opposition tactics. Ultimately, if social costs are raised high enough, development feasibility crashes, like that of the HidroAsyén.
In considering these costs, legal strategies, and current conservation initiatives surrounding Futaleufú, social dynamics remain a concern. Although relationships between more traditional locals and whitewater industry members have improved to varying degrees, those who participate in conservation movements in Futaleufú are still largely “outsiders.” Gonzalez reiterates “I don’t think its because [locals] don’t care, I think it’s because they have different priorities.” On January 11, 2016, there was a public meeting held that focused on Futaleufú river conservation and relations between local municipalities. Regarding Gonzalez’s point, kayakers at Patagonia Elements, another whitewater company in Futaleufú, explained that most people who attended this meeting were guides, and the majority of those guides were foreigners. This struggle to include more locals in river conservation initiatives has been a key issue for hydro resistance movements. Despite the underlying tensions between the outdoor industry and other members of the community, Futaleufú’s conservation platform is substantial and growing.
[1] The Futaleufú Riverkeeper is a subset of Waterkeeper Alliance, an international NGO. For more information, please reference (Waterkeeper Alliance 2015).