Heavy rains and snowfall over much of Chile, more than 70 percent above average and triggered by a prolonged, harsh winter, have ruled out any risk of drought and energy rationing that was proposed earlier this year. Deputy minister for public works, Pablo Piñera, said Sep. 21 that the abundance of precipitation means the larger reservoirs will maintain or increase their water reserves. The great accumulation in the mountains ensures water supplies once the spring melt as the Southern Hemisphere begins.

“The irrigation season to come will be the best since 1997,” Piñera told Tierramérica. “For the rest of this year and the beginning of the next, there won't be any water problems for any of the activities related to farming, tourism, hydroelectric power or fishing.”