Hydrosocial power and territorial transformation: a case study of the Longaví River sub-basin in south-central Chile

Abstract

This article examines the configuration of hydrosocial territories (HST) and hydrosocial power (HSP) in the Longaví River sub-basin of south-central Chile. Drawing on land-use change analysis, documentary review, and interviews with key actors, we characterize how agricultural intensification and forestry expansion have reshaped both landscapes and water governance over the past three decades. The results show that HSP operates through infrastructure, discourses, and institutions that concentrate water rights and decision-making power in the hands of a few dominant actors. These dynamics reinforce historical and colonial configurations of HST, reproducing socio-environmental inequalities and marginalizing small-scale farmers and local communities. Such path-dependent processes not only constrain the emergence of alternative governance arrangements but also undermine the sustainability of water resource management amid increasing scarcity. By tracing socio-spatial dynamics, the study contributes to understanding how power asymmetries are embedded in hydrosocial relations and discusses their implications for advancing more equitable water governance in Chile and similar contexts.