Helping Bolivian Families

University of Idaho students are working to improve irrigation water access, retrieval and storage methods in the rural community of Potreros in Bolivia.

Representing the U of I College of Engineering’s Humanitarian Engineering Corps (HEC), students work directly with farmers and community members to identify infrastructure improvements that meet community needs.

Potreros receives no rainfall during the dry season, which lasts some years from July to January. The community relies completely on nearby springs for irrigation and drinking water. Pipes from the stream currently in use are often clogged, which impacts access.

"Our students are able to look at an engineering problem through the eyes of the community so their designs can make the most impact. With this deeper understanding of the community, the culture and the importance of farming to these families, our students are able to find better solutions." Mike Lowry, civil engineering associate professor

“We are engineering the future for a community that has relied on effective farming practices for hundreds of years,” said Korvin Jones, a civil engineering senior on the traveling team. “This study helps us decide which additions would be the most effective in improving irrigation in this tight-knit agricultural community.”

The team — comprising four students and one faculty advisor — began collecting data on three potential projects to increase the quantity of water available to the community — tying in additional water sources into the existing system, repairing or rebuilding a stormwater collection tank, and using a dam to increase storage capacity at a nearby stream. Each project was assessed for efficacy and potential to grow water availability, ease of access and use, as well as potential impacts on community farming practices.

Data collected will help students decide where to focus their efforts when the club revisits the community in 2025. HEC travels annually in partnership with Engineers in Action, an international nonprofit organization focused on the development of sustainable systems and infrastructure for underserved communities.

Mike Lowry, civil engineering associate professor who also traveled to Potreros, said the community plays a crucial role in helping the team develop background knowledge in the existing irrigation system, what additions have been made and what needs are currently not being met.

“Our students are able to look at an engineering problem through the eyes of the community so their designs can make the most impact,” Lowry said. “With this deeper understanding of the community, the culture and the importance of farming to these families, our students are able to find better solutions.”

Lowry and Jones of Clarkston, Washington, traveled with civil engineering undergraduate students Sterling Beasley of Goldendale, Washington, Olivia Haener of Boise and Angelica Vazquez Martinez of Idaho Falls.

Hands-on and Human for More Than a Decade

Since 2012, U of I students have traveled to Bolivia to support efforts to improve access to clean water and sanitation.

In 2023, students travelled to the community of Challcha, Bolivia, to build privacy shelters and septic systems for a toilet and shower. All building materials are funded through donations from Moscow and other Idaho communities to the student club. U of I students fundraise year-round to cover travel costs and to hire professional engineers and construction workers who are also on site.

The student club also completed a series of projects spanning five years for the community of Carani in Bolivia, building a gravity-fed water supply system to replace the dilapidated municipal system.

Photos by University of Idaho College of Engineering.

Story by Alexiss Turner.

Published Date: October 2023.