GC Insights: Lessons from participatory water quality research in the upper Santa River basin, Peru

Abstract. Research around water security in the Peruvian Andes rarely includes a local perspective or engages in a participatory approach with local communities within the research process. Here we share four key lessons from an interdisciplinary project that gathered community perspectives on water quality issues in the upper Rio Santa basin. Mixed-methods data was collected via a photo elicitation app with a survey (Nuestro Rio), and a field work campaign. Our main learnings were i) the importance of in-person engagement; ii) the accessibility of technology for data collection; iii) the need for co-produced knowledge and solutions; and iv) the complexity of water quality as an environmental concept. Our research highlights the importance of effective participant engagement methods to support socio-environmental integration to support sustainable decision-making and water resource management.