Tracer hydrology practices, challenges, and opportunities across Latin America and the Caribbean

Tracer hydrology practices, challenges, and opportunities across Latin America and the Caribbean | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Hydrological Processes This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 6 October 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Tracer hydrology practices, challenges, and opportunities across Latin America and the Caribbean Authors : Ricardo Sanchez-Murillo 0000-0001-8721-8093 [email protected] , Christian Birkel 0000-0002-6792-852X , Enrico Yepez 0000-0003-4746-573X , Ricardo Oyarzún 0000-0002-1408-4693 , María Poca 0000-0001-9160-1036 , Orlando Mauricio Quiroz , Lyssette Muñoz-Villers 0000-0001-8228-3742 , … Show All … , Ana M. Durán-Quesada , Marcia Barrera de Calderón 0000-0001-7627-150X , Rolando Sánchez-Gutiérrez 0000-0002-5050-021X , Mosquera Giovanny , Ruth E. Villanueva Estrada , Geoffrey Marshall , Javier Barberena Moncada , Odalys Julissa Ibarra-Alejos 0009-0006-7260-8455 , Kegan K. Farrick , Juan Pérez Quezadas , Kristen Welsh 0000-0002-8812-5814 , Francisco Fernandoy 0000-0003-2252-7746 , Juan Antonio Torres-Martínez 0000-0003-1314-6837 , Jose Luis Arumi 0000-0002-8101-3510 , Megan Cox , Yelba Flores-Meza , María L. Montiel , Junior O. Hernández-Ortiz , Miguel A. González 0000-0001-8921-1100 , Claudia Avalos 0000-0002-0748-7507 , Luis González-Hita , Didier Gastmans 0000-0002-1340-3373 , Olea-Olea Selene 0000-0001-8923-7300 , Esquivel-Hernández G 0000-0002-6890-6509 , Dana M. Jacob , Isadora Aumond Kuhn 0009-0000-7180-6667 , Agustín Menta , Manuel Giménez , Isabel Pérez-Martínez , Roger Pacheco Castro , Paola Alejandra Vásquez Cardona , Marcelo Somos-Valenzuela 0000-0001-7863-4407 , Gabriela Patricia FLORES AVILES , Alejandro García-Moya , Angela Méndez , Roberto E. Kirchheim , Marcela Cabrera , Haydée Osorio-Ugarte , Juan Camacho 0009-0009-9631-228X , Chris Soulsby 0000-0001-6910-2118 , and Jodie Miller Show Fewer Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175978832.25175818/v1 Published Hydrological Processes Version of record Peer review timeline 526 views 267 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Tracer hydrology in Latin America and the Caribbean has made significant progress in recent decades, largely through the sustained support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Current practices show water stable isotope applications and precipitation-groundwater monitoring at the core of most networks, providing valuable insights into recharge mechanisms, groundwater to surface water connectivity, pollution tracking, and climate variability. Despite these advances, critical challenges persist, including short and fragmented monitoring records, limited capture of extreme events, restricted data accessibility, and persistent barriers related to funding, analytical capacity, and weak policy integration. Improving science communication emerges as an urgent need to transform technical findings into actionable knowledge that informs decision-makers and empowers communities. Opportunities exist to build on IAEA’s legacy by sustaining long-term networks, diversifying tracer applications, mobilizing citizen science in monitoring efforts, expanding modeling and laboratory capacity, and advocating for FAIR data sharing across end-users. Strengthened collaboration across the region, improved communication, and deeper policy engagement can elevate tracer hydrology into a pillar of regional water governance and hydro-climate resilience. Supplementary Material File (lac_tracer_monitoring_community_commentary_final.docx) Download 6.69 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 06 October 2025 Peer review timeline Published Hydrological Processes Version of Record 9 Jan 2026 Published Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Collection Hydrological Processes Keywords latin america and the caribbean monitoring networks policy making science communication stranded data assets tracer hydrology Authors Affiliations Ricardo Sanchez-Murillo 0000-0001-8721-8093 [email protected] The University of Texas Arlington Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences View all articles by this author Christian Birkel 0000-0002-6792-852X Universidad de Costa Rica Escuela de Geografia View all articles by this author Enrico Yepez 0000-0003-4746-573X Instituto Tecnologico de Sonora Departamento de Ciencias del Agua y Medio Ambiente View all articles by this author Ricardo Oyarzún 0000-0002-1408-4693 Universidad Tecnologica de Chile - Sede La Serena View all articles by this author María Poca 0000-0001-9160-1036 Instituto de Matematica Aplicada San Luis View all articles by this author Orlando Mauricio Quiroz Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata Facultad de Ingenieria View all articles by this author Lyssette Muñoz-Villers 0000-0001-8228-3742 Consorcio Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico View all articles by this author Ana M. Durán-Quesada Universidad Latina de Costa Rica - Sede San Pedro View all articles by this author Marcia Barrera de Calderón 0000-0001-7627-150X Universidad Nueva San Salvador Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud El Salvador View all articles by this author Rolando Sánchez-Gutiérrez 0000-0002-5050-021X Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica View all articles by this author Mosquera Giovanny Idiomas Catolica de la Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru View all articles by this author Ruth E. Villanueva Estrada Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Instituto de Geofisica - Unidad Michoacan View all articles by this author Geoffrey Marshall United Nations Development Programme Jamaica View all articles by this author Javier Barberena Moncada Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua View all articles by this author Odalys Julissa Ibarra-Alejos 0009-0006-7260-8455 Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas Facultad de Ingenieria y Ciencias View all articles by this author Kegan K. Farrick The University of the West Indies Open Campus - Country Site Trinidad and Tobago View all articles by this author Juan Pérez Quezadas Instituto Murciano de Investigacion y Desarrollo Agrario y Alimentario View all articles by this author Kristen Welsh 0000-0002-8812-5814 University of the Bahamas - Grosvenor Close Campus View all articles by this author Francisco Fernandoy 0000-0003-2252-7746 Universidad Vina del Mar View all articles by this author Juan Antonio Torres-Martínez 0000-0003-1314-6837 Tecnologico de Monterrey View all articles by this author Jose Luis Arumi 0000-0002-8101-3510 Universidad de Concepcion Centro de Recursos Hidricos para la Agricultura y la Mineria View all articles by this author Megan Cox Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology View all articles by this author Yelba Flores-Meza Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua View all articles by this author María L. Montiel Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica Universidad Nacional de Asunción View all articles by this author Junior O. Hernández-Ortiz Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras Facultad de Ciencias Medicas View all articles by this author Miguel A. González 0000-0001-8921-1100 Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua View all articles by this author Claudia Avalos 0000-0002-0748-7507 Universidad Nacional de Asuncion View all articles by this author Luis González-Hita Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua View all articles by this author Didier Gastmans 0000-0002-1340-3373 Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho - Campus de Rio Claro View all articles by this author Olea-Olea Selene 0000-0001-8923-7300 Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Instituto de Geologia View all articles by this author Esquivel-Hernández G 0000-0002-6890-6509 Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica View all articles by this author Dana M. Jacob Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago View all articles by this author Isadora Aumond Kuhn 0009-0000-7180-6667 Geological Survey of Brazil View all articles by this author Agustín Menta Universidad de la Republica Instituto de Mecanica de los Fluidos e Ingenieria Ambiental View all articles by this author Manuel Giménez Universidad de la Republica Instituto de Mecanica de los Fluidos e Ingenieria Ambiental View all articles by this author Isabel Pérez-Martínez Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Instituto de Geofisica View all articles by this author Roger Pacheco Castro Laboratorio de Ingeniería y Procesos Costeros Instituto de Ingeniería Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México View all articles by this author Paola Alejandra Vásquez Cardona Corporación Autónoma Regional de Caldas-CORPOCALDAS View all articles by this author Marcelo Somos-Valenzuela 0000-0001-7863-4407 Baylor University Department of Geosciences View all articles by this author Gabriela Patricia FLORES AVILES Agencia Boliviana de Energia Nuclear View all articles by this author Alejandro García-Moya Centro de Estudios Ambientales de Cienfuegos View all articles by this author Angela Méndez Fondo para la Conservación del Agua de la Región Metropolitana de Guatemala (FUNCAGUA View all articles by this author Roberto E. Kirchheim Geological Survey of Brazil View all articles by this author Marcela Cabrera Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM View all articles by this author Haydée Osorio-Ugarte Universidad Tecnologica de Panama View all articles by this author Juan Camacho 0009-0009-9631-228X The University of Texas Arlington Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences View all articles by this author Chris Soulsby 0000-0001-6910-2118 Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries View all articles by this author Jodie Miller International Atomic Energy Agency Isotope Hydrology Section View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 526 views 267 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Ricardo Sanchez-Murillo, Christian Birkel, Enrico Yepez, et al. Tracer hydrology practices, challenges, and opportunities across Latin America and the Caribbean. Authorea . 06 October 2025. 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