General Overview
One of the world’s most
spectacular adventure travel
destinations, the Futaleufu Valley, was
impacted by a thin layer of ash from a
nearby volcanic eruption. The Chaitén
Volcano erupted on May 2nd spewing a cloud
of ash that temporarily covered the far
northern swath of Patagonia, including
the whitewater Mecca - the Futaleufu.
Chaitén, a caldera volcano, last
erupted approximately 9000 years ago.
More than 6000 area residents were evacuated
to nearby Argentina, or to Chiloe Island
and Puerto Montt, Chile. To this date,
the volcano continues to spew ash, however
the fallout is heavily dependent on the
wind direction and luckily the Futaleufu
dodged a bullet. The community was minimally
impacted by the eruption. Futaleufu has
been quick to recover with residents returning
to their homes and life normalizing. Further
reliable information on the situation
with the Chaiten Volcano can be found
at:
http://volcanism.wordpress.com/category/volcanoes/chaiten/
Present
Situation Report - Updated June 6th, 2008
FutaFriends staff is returning
to the valley with the purpose
of providing eyewitness accounts on the
impact extent to the region from the eruption.
Staff will update this section of the
website periodically. Presently, the Chaiten
Volcano is decreasing its explosivity,
with the plume height reaching approximately
3 km in elevation. The plume is primarily
consists of water vapor, with the ash
content being much lower than before.
Information on the situation on the Futaleufu
will be updated shortly. The Futaleufu
outfitters are scheduled to run trips
this upcoming season with camps owned
by Expediciones Chile, Cara Del Indio,
EarthRiver Expeditions, BioBio Expeditions
and Pura Vida all ash free. For previous
eyewitness reports and photos of the valley,
please visit http://futa-update.blogspot.com
Threat to the Valley
There has been a lot of misinformation in the press about the actual situation in Futaleufu and at this point the river’s biggest threat may be from the uninformed media sources and not the actual volcanic eruption. So far, news organizations reporting on the eruption have inaccurately linked the town of Chaitén to Futaleufu and its river which are approximately 60 miles away. Futaleufu is quickly returning to normal, meanwhile Chaitén continues to be inundated by floods and possibly worse. The extent of the damage to the Futaleufu is noticeable in its water quality and not much more. The majority of the economy in this region is based on the $7 million tourism industry. If the winds stay on their normal course, the river is then likely to remain untouched and the adventure business will not be affected. Media depicting the region as covered in ash and a paradise lost are sending killing blows to the region’s tourism industry and creating effective footholds for mining and dam interests.
How Can You Help
Truth is that life in the Futaleufu Valley is returning to its normal state of affairs. The river has experienced decreased visibility that is normal with the coming of the winter rains and flood-levels. Many past visitors to the region have asked how they can help the Valley recuperate from this natural disaster. The answer is straight and simple. Promote Futaleufu for the jewel that it was and continues to be. Adventure tourism has not been affected by the volcanic eruption, however, regional tourism is threatened by uninformed and inadequate media coverage. You, the reader, as a past visitor to the valley, will be contacted by your friends and family, asking you about the Valley and your past trip. Our request is not for you to save the Futaleufu, but instead to inform them of your experience and offer them this website and our affiliates as a source of information on the quality of the region. Your support, informational or financial, is how we continue to protect the Futaleufu.
FutaFriends, an environmental and social non-profit that has been working in the Futaleufu valley for over 10 years, envisions is the creation of a self-sustaining community, reliant on its on power and resources, demonstrating the region's self-sufficiency. Your support in conserving the Futaleufu River Valley is necessary to continue the organization's operation in Patagonia. Please join us in standing up for the Futaleufu and ensuring the river's free-flow to the Pacific Ocean.
FutaFriends'
mission is to ensure the free-flow
of the Futaleufu River and to protect the
natural resources of its watershed through
community stewardship, education and sustainable
development for current and future generations.
