Geographia Technica, Vol 21, Issue 2, 2026, pp. 196-208
STATISTICAL AND OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF FOG-WATER HARVESTING UNDER COMMUNITY-BASED MONITORING IN SEMI-ARID NORTHERN CHILE: FIVE-YEAR EVIDENCE FROM PEÑA BLANCA
Marilyn CEPEDA-VELASTEGUI 
, Nicolás SCHNEIDER
ABSTRACT: This study evaluates the statistical and operational performance of fog-water harvesting in the Peña Blanca Agricultural Community, Coquimbo Region, semi-arid northern Chile, using community-based monitoring records from 2020 to 2025. Standard Fog Collectors equipped with Raschel 35% double-layer and Kimre meshes were analyzed through paired comparisons, non-parametric seasonal tests, precipitation-based sensitivity analysis, and correlation analyses with monthly precipitation from a reference meteorological station. Kimre consistently outperformed Raschel 35% double-layer mesh under the local operational conditions analyzed, with an average relative advantage of approximately 25% and statistically significant differences in both parametric and non-parametric tests. This advantage persisted after excluding months with precipitation above 20 mm and under dry or negligible-precipitation conditions, where the relative advantage reached 27.4%. Correlation analyses showed no positive association between monthly precipitation and fog-water collection. Fog-water collection also showed marked seasonal variability, with higher values during spring and summer and lower values toward autumn and winter. These findings provide five-year statistical and operational evidence from a functioning community-managed system, highlighting the relevance of mesh selection, seasonal planning, and sustained monitoring for fog-water harvesting under real field conditions.
Keywords: Atmospheric water; Fog-water harvesting; Standard Fog Collector; Fog-collector mesh performance; Semi-arid coastal environments.
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