Definición de perímetros de protección en cuencas hidrográficas mediante modelación hidrológica conceptual: caso de la cuenca Jatunhuaycu en las cercanías del volcán Antisana

Abstract

The assessment of water availability is important in the integral management of water resources. Such availability can be assessed using hydrological models. The objective of this work is to determine the contributory recharge areas of the hydrographic basins within the Jatunhuaycu experimental unit, that contribute to "La Mica Quito Sur" catchment system, which is indispensable for the water supply to the city of Quito. The contributory areas were determined using a modified GR4J deterministic hydrological model, which allows the simulation of the experimental unit daily flow, as well of three of its micro basins daily flow. The calibration of this model, allowed the estimation of a coefficient that relates the basin areas with their respective contribution area to the overall basin discharge. The implementation of the GR4J model requires daily series of precipitation and evapotranspiration as inputs, and discharge series for its calibration. The results of the simulations show that the four basins have losses in form of deep percolation and that consequently, their recharge surfaces are smaller than their respective hydrographic basin (between 50.5% and 79.0%). Losses in these basins, which are possibly related to the presence of the Yacupamba geological formation and to marsh areas.